As early as 1910 Canadians recognized that cars were easy to steal and, once stolen, hard to find, especially since cars looked much alike. Model styles and colours eventually changed, but so did the means of making a stolen car disappear. Though changing license plates and serial numbers remain basic procedure, thieves have created highly sophisticated networks to disassemble stolen vehicles, distribute the parts, and/or ship the altered cars out of the country. Stealing cars has become as technologically advanced as the cars themselves. Join John Heitmann as he covers this intriguing and relevant part of automotive history.

This online talk will take place over Zoom and is part of the Canadian Automotive Museum's Third Thursday lecture series. These online talks are free and open to the public, but registration is required. The Canadian Automotive Museum is a registered Canadian charity and a suggested donation of $10 goes toward covering the cost of hosting these virtual events. Donors who make an annual contribution of over $25 will receive a charitable tax receipt. 

About our Speaker

John A. Heitmann is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Dayton. His books include two editions of The Automobile and American Life (McFarland, 2009 and 2018), and with Rebecca Morales, Stealing Cars: Technology and Society From the Model T to Gran Torino. A former President of the Society of Automotive Historians, he is currently working on a history of post-WWII automotive journalists.