We asked readers in a recent Insurance Business poll if police have been making a dent on fraud and theft – and the answer was nearly unanimous.

Only one reader answered ‘yes,’ feeling that law enforcement had been having an impact on fraud and theft – while six answered ‘no.’

The sentiment among readers comes on the heels of a recent successful joint forces operation that resulted in the arrest of seven people and the recovery of $1 million in stolen automobiles.

Rick Dubin, vice-president, Ontario of Insurance Bureau of Canada, described the arrests as “further evidence that organized theft and insurance fraud is a real problem in Ontario.”

According to KPMG estimates for the Ontario anti-fraud task force, the amount of insurance fraud in Ontario is as much as $1.6 billion a year.

In 2014, IBC and Canada Border Services Agency seized over $8 million in stolen vehicles intended for export.

Our next poll asks brokers how they spend their holidays – or more to the point, if they even get a chance to enjoy the holiday season.

Do you enjoy a true Christmas holiday with your family, or are you always ‘on call’ for clients?

You tell us – click here and take the poll.