Ontario has seen a significant drop in car thefts in recent years, thanks largely to improved technology that makes it almost impossible to steal a vehicle without its key.

In 2010 a total of 4,479 cars were stolen in Toronto, that's down 65 per cent from 1999 when 12,600 cars went missing.

Top 10 most stolen vehicles 2009 Toyota Venza 4-door 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door 2006 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT 4-door AWD 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS 4-door 4WD 2007 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD 2001 Pontiac Aztek 4-door AWD 1998 Acura Integra 2-door 1999 Acura Integra 2-door

Toronto police Insp. Mark Barkley told CBC News that one invention — the vehicle immobilizer — is largely to thank for the drop in thefts.

Immobilizers, which are now required on all vehicles sold in Canada since September 2007, have a chip in the key that allows the vehicle's ignition system to operate. Many older vehicles built before the introduction of immobilizers could be started by prying the ignition with a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, even a butter knife.

That meant joy-riding teens were responsible for a large percentage of car thefts. Many of those thefts led to dangerous police chases and catastrophic crashes.

"It accounted for very high amounts of stolen vehicles out there," said Barkley. "Young people behind the wheel of a stolen car, they got very excited and unfortunately, we had a lot of death and destruction."

Police say vehicle thefts are down in recent years, thanks largely to the advent of vehicle immobilizers. The technology makes it almost impossible to steal a vehicle without its key. (CBC)

"Now if you don't have the key, all the butter knives in the world wouldn't help [potential thieves]. By eliminating the inexperienced driver, I have no question that lives have been saved."

Global positioning systems have also hindered car thieves.

On Wednesday, Toronto police managed to track a BMW that was stolen from a car dealership in the United States. The thief pulled into a west-end motel for some rest, not realizing the car was still sending a GPS signal. The car, and the thief, were an easy catch for police.

Organized theft rings continue to operate

Det. Sgt. Sam Cosentino worked in Toronto’s auto squad for five years. He said while vehicle immobilizers and GPS systems have helped take amateur thieves out of the equation, they haven't eliminated vehicle theft entirely.

"There is still a very real and very active organized crime component in vehicle thefts," he said.

He said the professional car thieves tend to target more expensive vehicles and, in a trend that concerns police, many luxury cars are stolen by thieves who break into houses to get the keys.

Many vehicles stolen in the Toronto area are shipped overseas or re-sold to unsuspecting buyers in Canada, Cosentino said.

He offered the following tips to ensure used car buyers don’t wind up buying a stolen vehicle: