The top 10 most commonly stolen vehicles in Alberta have been released by Canadian company Équité. We wanted to do an in-depth look at vehicle theft frequency rather than sheer numbers. In essence, we wanted to answer the question, what type of vehicle is most likely to be stolen if you were going to purchase one? The following numbers are based on the rate at which a specific vehicle is stolen proportional to the number of vehicles on the road.
Understanding Vehicle Theft Frequency
The below graph shows the top ten most stolen vehicles in Alberta. While this paints part of the picture, it doesn't account for that vehicle's share of all vehicles on the road. The Dodge Ram 1500 was technically the vehicle that was stolen the most in Alberta, however, that may be due to the large volume of them on Alberta roads (over 90,000).
If we look at how many of each of these vehicles are on the road, it shows a much different picture (all vehicles are in the same order).
Then when we look at the percentage of how many vehicles are stolen annually divided by the total number of vehicles on the road, we get a better understanding of which vehicles could be considered high theft.
Although the Ram 1500 is the most stolen vehicle in Alberta by sheer numbers, the rate at which it is stolen is considerably lower than that of a Ford F250 or F350. A Ford F250 is nearly 4 times as likely to have been stolen than a Ram 1500. With a more comprehensive understanding of what makes a vehicle a "high theft vehicle," we can dive right into the ten most frequently stolen vehicles in Alberta:
10 Most Stolen Vehicles In Alberta
- Ford F250
- Ford F350
- Chevrolet/GMC 2500
- Dodge RAM 2500
- Chevrolet/GMC 3500
- Dodge RAM 1500
- Dodge RAM 3500
- Chevrolet/GMC 1500
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Ford Focus
1. Ford F250
- Theft Frequency: 1.5%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 7,196
- Number of Thefts: 106
The Ford F250 Series takes the top spot with a theft frequency of 1.5%. Despite having a lower number of insured vehicles compared to some others on this list, its high theft frequency is a cause for concern. Around 3 of every 200 trucks are stolen.
2. Ford F350
- Theft Frequency: 1.3%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 22,527
- Number of Thefts: 289
3. Chevrolet/GMC 2500
- Theft Frequency: 0.9%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 37,685
- Number of Thefts: 349
4. Dodge RAM 2500
- Theft Frequency: 0.6%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 20,683
- Number of Thefts: 119
5. Chevrolet/GMC 3500
- Theft Frequency: 0.5%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 12,344
- Number of Thefts: 66
6. Dodge RAM 1500
- Theft Frequency: 0.4%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 91,771
- Number of Thefts: 373
The Dodge half-ton truck was the number one most stolen vehicle in Alberta by sheer numbers.
7. Dodge RAM 3500
- Theft Frequency: 0.4%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 23,943
- Number of Thefts: 85
8. Chevrolet/GMC 1500
- Theft Frequency: 0.4%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 95,362
- Number of Thefts: 336
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Theft Frequency: 0.3%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 32,231
- Number of Thefts: 106
10. Ford Focus
- Theft Frequency: 0.3%
- Number of Insured Vehicles: 17,701
- Number of Thefts: 56
Does Alberta Have More Vehicle Theft Than Other Provinces?
A 2022 market report by the Alberta Automobile Insurance Rate Board had some interesting statistics on Vehicle theft in Canada. The simple answer is yes, Alberta has historically had more vehicle theft than other provinces in Canada. In 2021 (the most recent year data was available) there were 28.8 theft claims per 100,000 vehicles in Alberta whereas the national average was 11.6 theft claims per 100,000 vehicles. That is nearly 150% more theft per number of vehicles in Alberta.
Conclusion
Understanding the theft frequency of vehicles in Alberta can shine a light on why the cost to insure certain vehicles may be higher than similar comparable vehicles. Looking Canada wide, the most stolen vehicle by frequency was the Land Rover Range Rover with 3.9%. Subsequently, the Jeep Gladiator had a theft frequency of 3.6%. Learning that there is a 1 in 25 chance of having your vehicle stolen might not inspire a great deal of confidence when purchasing. Before you make any purchase decision on a new vehicle, talk to your insurance agent or broker. They can get you a quote on how much it is going to cost to insure your vehicle. High-theft vehicles can cost more to insure and may make them an unappealing option for ownership. If you want to talk to an Armour broker for a quote or assistance, click the link below.
