The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that in a report released Tuesday, Equite Association said the number of auto thefts in Canada dropped 17 per cent in the first half of 2024, compared with the same period last year. The Globe's Clare O'Hara writes that association vice-president Bryan Gast said the decline is largely owing to the collective efforts of the insurance industry, federal and provincial governments, law enforcement agencies, Canada Border Service Agency and public awareness. Mr. Gast said: "While it is fantastic to see this decline occur after the collaboration of so many organizations, it is still early days and there's no room for complacency. We need to continue focus on preventing auto thefts before they even occur." Ontario and Quebec are starting to see some momentum, reporting the largest declines in the number of auto thefts in Canada, down 14 per cent and 36 per cent. This compares with a 50-per-cent jump in auto theft for both provinces in 2022. Last year, the cost of insurance claims for replacing stolen vehicles in Canada skyrocketed to a record $1.5-billion, reports the Insurance Bureau of Canada. It was the second year in a row that auto theft claims costs topped $1-billion.