Distribution of free signal-blocking pouches in York Region a success, police say

Thousands of residents in York Region have received free pouches that could help fend off car thieves, York Regional Police said.

In a news release on Saturday, police said the Faraday bags were distributed under York police'sOperation Auto Guard initiative, to tackle an increase in auto thefts in the region.

"Thousands of members from the community have received the Faraday bags since the announcement of Operation Auto Guard, on Tuesday, Sept. 26," police said in the release.

"The community's response to work together with York Regional Police in an effort to prevent vehicle thefts has been astounding. Thousands of Faraday bags have been distributed and because of the overwhelming success of this operation, we have temporarily run out of bags."

According to the release, more bags have been ordered and they are expected to be at York Regional Police districts this upcoming week.

York Regional Policesaid they haveseen an almost 50 per cent increase in vehicle thefts compared to this time last year. Compared to 2019, police said the region is on pace for a staggering increase of approximately 200 per cent. This year alone, close to 3,300 vehicles have been stolen so far, police said.

A Faraday case is a signal-blocking tool that's relatively inexpensive and can help prevent cars from being stolen in what's known as a relay attack.

With keyless ignition an increasingly popular feature in newer vehicles, thieves can read the radio frequency of key FOBs in your house and relay that frequency to a car on your driveway. That can trick the car into thinking you're nearby or inside with your key and can allow thieves to drive away, all in less than 60 seconds.

On Tuesday York Regional Police announced the multi-faceted crime prevention campaign targeting high-end auto thefts.

Police said Operation Auto Guard will incorporate a robust crime prevention campaign into ongoing enforcement efforts, which includes data-driven solutions, targeted community engagement and the giveaway of crime prevention tools to help residents avoid becoming victims of vehicle theft.