Police are urging drivers to be more vigilant after the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) found that about 1,000 more vehicles were stolen in Toronto over the last year.

At a news conference held Thursday, Toronto police Det.-Sgt. Daniel Sabadics said that vehicle thefts in Toronto have increased about 29 per cent in comparison to this time last year.

“What that boils down to is about 1000 more stolen autos this year to date than last year,” Sabadics said. “It has become a pandemic in our city.”

Sabadics also said that auto thefts in Toronto’s midtown neighbourhoods increased by about 92 per cent, specifically within the Toronto Police Service’s 53 Division and 13 Division.

Investigators from 13 Division previously told CTV News Toronto they received 62 reports of break-ins or thefts from vehicles near Vaughan Road and St. Clair Avenue between Oct. 18 and Nov. 12 alone.

Sabadics said that electronic override thefts were becoming more prevalent, especially with luxury automobiles. The thieves clone a keyless fob or hack into the wireless link between the device and the vehicle.

After they gain entry to the vehicle, the theives can simply drive it away with their newly programmed key.

“That technology is almost like an Achilles heel,” he said.

This technology is common in high-end cars such as Lexus, Mercedes and Land Rovers vehicles.

Police are recommending that drivers not leave their vehicle running and not leave their keys in their cars. Parking in a well-lit area or garage will also help prevent theft, they said.

Sabadics also recommended that drivers invest in devices that disable a vehicle’s ignition system or on-board computer. Other recommendations included using a steering wheel club, a wheel boot, a port lock, and an aftermarket alarm system.

The news conference was held following a report released by the IBC earlier this week that indicated that car theft is on the rise across Canada. The agency urged drivers to be vigilant during the holidays, as vehicles full of gifts will be more tempting to thieves.

The vehicles may be sold to other consumers or smuggled out of the country.

“This could lead to insurance fraud or identity theft, which is on the rise. In 2017, more than 17,500 incidents of identity theft were reported,” the IBC said in their news release.

The agency also released a list of the top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles, which placed the Ford F-Series pickup truck was at the top of the list.