His dealership told him to remove an anti-theft device. Now, his car’s been stolen — again | CBC News

Months after a North York man’s dealership told him to remove the after-market anti-theft device from his new Lexus, the $75,000 vehicle was stolen from a TTC parking lot on Oct. 3.

The theft marks the second time in nine months that Mitchell Levine and his wife Stacie Korn have had a new Lexus, in particular, stolen from the Wilson subway station parking lot. 

It’s also the third time in the last year that they have had a car stolen. 

“It’s very frustrating,” Levine told CBC Toronto. “When we tried to put security in the cars, they forced us to take it out.”

When Levine and Korn bought their new Lexus in mid-July, they had an after-market anti-theft device installed because they didn’t want to lose another vehicle. But when they took it to the Ken Shaw Toyota dealership to get a mechanical problem diagnosed, they were hit with a $20,000 bill to fix wiring they were told had been damaged by the device — voiding their warranty at the same time.

They said a salesperson recommended the device, but the dealership has denied the assertion.  As warranty negotiations continued, the couple opted for a cheaper, temporary fix for their mechanical problems and a metal bar that locks across the steering wheel to deter thieves. 

Then, on Oct. 3, Levine says Korn called him saying her Lexus app indicated their car was no longer where she parked it. 

“What has become of Toronto? It’s beyond frightening,” Levine said. “It’s more disturbing than anything else. You don’t have any sense of personal belonging, in that you can’t hold on to anything. You can’t keep anything.”

TTC putting cameras in high-use parking lots

Given both of the couple’s Lexus vehicles were stolen from the exact same parking lot, Levine says he’s upset with the TTC for not providing more security.

The Toronto Parking Authority manages the TTC’s Wilson station lot using a private security firm that conducts routine patrols, said spokesperson Stuart Green. He says TTC special constables also patrol.

“We’re looking for other ways to improve security and deter theft, including installing cameras in high-use lots,” Green wrote. “Safety and security remain our top priority at all times.”

Levine says he also thinks the Lexus RX 350h base model should come with better anti-theft protection and the company itself should offer owners more ways to protect their vehicles, given Lexus is Ontario’s most stolen car model.

Lexus says overseas demand plays role in thefts

Lexus Canada is “sorry to hear about [Levine’s] stolen vehicle,” said spokesperson Philippe Crowe.

Lexus “regularly introduces new or improved technical features to reduce the likelihood of a vehicle being stolen,” Crowe said. But, he added, “Greater demand for these vehicles in overseas markets leads to increased targeting of these vehicles by organized crime.”

A vehicle’s anti-theft measures may do little in the face of its appeal among thieves, agreed David Adams, president and CEO of Global Automakers of Canada.

He says Toyota products, such as the Lexus, could be attractive in markets like the Middle East and Africa because Toyota parts are easily available there and the vehicles have a reputation for durability. 

“I don’t think it really is about the technology,” said Adams. “It’s almost like where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Adams doesn’t think it is possible to make a “vehicle impenetrable to auto theft,” especially as more and more drivers rely on wireless systems that leave vehicles vulnerable to being stolen.

Thieves can exploit fobs, he says, by using a receiving device that intercepts the signal between a fob left on a key ring near the front door and the vehicle parked in the driveway. He recommends keeping your keys away from the front door or protecting your fob with a Faraday bag, which shields the signal from outside receivers.

For his part, Levine says he and his wife won’t be buying another Lexus: “What’s the point of being someone’s punching bag?”