There were two main factors in the majority of auto thefts investigated by the Windsor Police Service in 2025-vehicles being left unlocked or the keys being left inside.
During Thursday's meeting of the Windsor Police Service Board, board members heard that there were across-the-board increases involving those two factors.
Officials say 69 per cent of the vehicles that were stolen in 2025 were left unlocked, up from 58 per cent in 2024.
13.7 per cent of vehicles stolen had the keys left in them, up from 12.9 per cent in 2024.
11.8 per cent of vehicles stolen were both unlocked and had the keys inside, up from 10.2 per cent in 2024.
Acting Deputy Chief Ken Cribley says vehicles don't come cheap.
"Keep them locked," says Cribley . "I know it's cold this time of year, but it's just not a good idea to start your car and walk away with the key in the ignition."
Our Auto Theft Unit (ATU) delivered strong results for Windsor and Amherstburg in 2025, focusing on reducing vehicle thefts and improving recovery rates across our community.
— Windsor Police (@WindsorPolice) January 22, 2026
Last year, the ATU demonstrated measurable impact:
•478 reported vehicle thefts investigated
•70% of… pic.twitter.com/qHvA7MWhIV
He says this has been happening since he was a young patrol officer.
"Now it's a little bit different with auto ignition starts," he says. "People are able to do it with it being secure, but not every car has that. We still see people going out, starting their car, leaving their keys in the ignition, and walking away from it. That's a huge issue."
In all, the Auto Theft Unit investigated 478 vehicle thefts in Windsor and Amherstburg in 2025.
The unit recovered 70 per cent of stolen vehicles and located 66 per cent of stolen vehicles within three days.
A total of 16 vehicles were stolen while left running, while 30 were stolen because of carjackings, break-and-enters, or home invasions.
According to the Windsor Police Service, the Auto Theft Unit investigates all reported motor vehicle thefts and partners with frontline officers and community stakeholders, prioritizing prevention, rapid recovery, and data-driven investigations.