Police have recovered more than $2.2 million worth of stolen vehicles that had been swiped across the Greater Toronto Area.
Investigators with the York Regional Police Auto Cargo Theft Unit and the Integrated Property Crime Task Force, working alongside the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and with assistance from Équité Association, have recovered 25 stolen vehicles and charged six people with multiple offences.
In November 2023, police say members of the Auto Cargo Theft Unit became aware of a parking lot in Mississauga in which multiple stolen vehicles were parked.
Through investigation, suspects were identified and other locations were discovered where stolen vehicles were allegedly being taken and stored.
On Dec. 14, 2023, a search warrant was executed at a Mississauga warehouse and stolen vehicles were found inside shipping containers.
Police say the vehicles had been reported stolen from all across the GTA.
Officers also seized a number of stolen licence plates, master car keys and a key re-programming device.
Five suspects were arrested during the search warrant execution and were charged.
On Dec. 22, 2023, a sixth suspect identified during the investigation was taken into custody by CBSA officers at Toronto Pearson International Airport after an arrest warrant was issued. He was turned over to York Regional Police and charged.
Six other people have also been charged in connection to the investigation from Toronto, Oakville, Hamilton and Mississauga. Charges include possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000 and possession of automobile master key.
Three of the six men arrested were on bail at the time for unrelated matters.
This investigation is ongoing.
“Our investigators are working diligently to tackle organized auto theft,” York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said in a news release. “In conjunction with utilizing a data-driven approach and making use of specialized tools and resources, our dedicated teams work closely with our law enforcement partners to optimize our results.”
“The Canada Border Services Agency works closely with local police and enforcement partners across the country to disrupt, investigate and prosecute organized crime,” said David Glos, acting regional director general of CBSA for the Greater Toronto Area Region. “In this investigation, Canada Border Services Agency Intelligence and Border Services Officers shared information and provided on-the-ground support to York Regional Police.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police Auto Cargo Theft Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext.6651, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online.
