Peterborough police are warning residents who own high-end Toyota vehicles to be extra vigilant following a rash of thefts and attempted thefts over the past 48 hours.
According to police, thieves have stolen three vehicles and have attempted to steal three more vehicles from several different locations, mainly in the west and south end of the city.
Five of the vehicles were Toyota Tundra pickup trucks (model years 2022 and 2024) and two were Lexus vehicles, Toyota’s luxury brand, including a 2025 Lexus.
Six of the thefts and attempted thefts took place in the early morning hours of Thursday (November 27) around 4 to 4:30 a.m., with an additional theft taking place early Friday morning when a Lexus was taken from the driveway of a west-end home between 2:30 and 3 a.m. In two of the thefts, tracking devices were ripped from the vehicles and found in other neighbourhoods.
Police say there was a series of similar thefts in the spring of 2025, and thieves are continue to target Toyota vehicles — mainly trucks and larger luxury SUVs.
According to a report from the Équité Association last week, the top 10 vehicles targeted by thieves in 2024 were the Toyota RAV4 (2,080 thefts), Dodge Ram 1500 Series (2,018 thefts), Honda CR-V (1,911 thefts), Ford F150 Series (1,833 thefts), Honda Civic (1,797 thefts), Jeep Wrangler (1,491 thefts), Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 1500 Series (1,192 thefts), Toyota Highlander (1,141 thefts), Toyota Tundra (1,129 thefts), and Lexus RX Series (1,124 thefts).
The report found 2020 or newer models were the most targeted across most of those vehicle types, with criminals exploiting modern keyless security vulnerabilities to get higher resale values.
Police are advising owners of these vehicles to be extra vigilant and to consider taking precautions, such as parking another vehicle in front it or parking the vehicle inside a locked garage to make it difficult for thieves to drive off, and using a theft-deterrent device such steering wheel locks. If the vehicle comes with a tracking system, make sure it is installed and activated.
Residents who notice any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood should report it to Peterborough police by calling 705-876-1122 x225. If a crime is in progress, call 9-1-1.
