OPP Warning People About Car Thieves After Over 3,000 Vehicles Were Stolen In 2021 (VIDEO)

Ontario drivers, be aware that your driveway may not always be a safe spot to leave your vehicle.

On Thursday, the OPP Highway Safety Division took to Twitter to warn residents about vehicle thefts by tech-savvy thieves. Police shared a video of how quickly thieves can take your vehicle from right outside of your residence.

The OPP showed a recent incident in the video shared on Twitter, highlighting the process thieves used to gain access to and steal a vehicle.

"We see a few flashes of light from a piece of equipment," Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says while describing the beginning of the clip.

"He then goes to the driver's side, looks inside, and then puts something down on the ground next to the front wheel," he adds. "He goes to the front of the vehicle, where he spends a few minutes."

In the tweet, police said they investigated over 3,000 stolen vehicles in 2021. They warned that thieves can gain entry to a vehicle without a key fob, and said that people can protect themselves by parking inside or using a secondary theft deterrent.

"If you ever see suspicious activity, vehicles hanging around that are unfamiliar to you, lights flashing, check it out. Investigate, call police. You may save your neighbour or your own car from being stolen. This is the last we saw of it," Schmidt said.

The issue of car theft is nothing new to Ontario, especially when it comes to the Greater Toronto Area.

In January, it was revealed that officers from several police forces across the GTA had recovered over 200 stolen vehicles and arrested 24 people in a massive operation called Project High 5.