Footage of thieves bailing out of a carjacking attempt after noticing a driveway bollard in Toronto is sparking discussion online over the effectiveness of the deterrent.
In the video, which was shared on the r/TorontoDriving subreddit on Wednesday, a light-coloured vehicle is seen pulling up to a driveway with two parked cars on it.
Two men exit the vehicle and one proceeds to examine the parked cars on the driveway while the second waits. The first man then notices a bollard blocking the two parked cars on the driveway. Appearing confused, the men hurriedly return to their car and drive off.
According to police, there have been 5,000 auto-thefts in Toronto this year, a 22-per cent decrease compared to the same period last year, which saw 6,418, police data shows.
In 2023, there were a total of 12,294 auto thefts.
Of the top ten offences recorded in Toronto in 2024 to date, auto theft is second only to assault which has 8,854 reported incidents so far this year.
Despite auto theft rates dropping compared to the same period last year, some retailers have been capitalizing on the uptick seen in recent times.
For example, retail conglomerate Costco has partnered with Ontario Bollards to start selling retractable bollards in store.
The company offers architectural bollards that protect buildings and divert traffic as well as fixed, removable, semi-automatic, and automatic anti-terrorism bollards.
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“These heavy-duty bollards make for ideal passive security systems, and many commercial buildings in urban areas rely on them for top-tier protection,” the company’s website says.
People on Reddit were quick to share their thoughts on the effectiveness of the anti-theft devices.
“Like all anti theft, it’s just a deterrent. They’ll likely move on to the next vehicle that’s an easier job,” one person wrote.
“Path of least resistance and all that. If it means thieves will move on to a target that isn’t behind a bollard, then it did its job,” another person wrote.
“Of course a ‘piece of steel’ will do a better job at protecting your property than the TPS (Toronto Police Services). Remember, the Toronto Police Chief told people to just leave their keys on the porch or by the front door so the thieves have easy access to their new vehicle,” someone else wrote.
