ServiceOntario employees involved in auto-theft ring, police say

Some ServiceOntario employees took part in a scheme that involved registering fake vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to stolen cars, Toronto police said Friday.

The staffers worked at a single ServiceOntario location.

"Employees are alleged to have knowingly used fake documents provided by the accused parties to make it look like VINs were valid," Toronto Police Service (TPS) stated in a news release. "They registered real Ontario licence plates to these fake VINs, and those vehicles were then sold as legitimate, properly plated vehicles."

The investigation was led by two police divisions in the city's northwest. There have been 59 arrests and more than 300 charges laid, including forgery and possession of stolen property.

Police say they have recovered 363 vehicles, worth more than $14 million. 

Auto thefts are down by 21 per cent compared to this point in 2023, Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw said during a news conference Friday morning. 

"These VINs were used to sell vehicles to unsuspecting victims at a significant discount," Supt. Ron Taverner said. "The vehicles were sold as legitimate vehicles with the proper plate identification."

Some were sold locally or shipped overseas, and others were dismantled for parts, Taverner detailed.

During the investigation, police executing a search warrant found a Toyota in the process of being dismantled that had only been stolen the previous day.

Seven of the stolen vehicles were found using automated licence-plate readers, he said. 

"As you can imagine, there is a very lucrative market for stolen vehicles and stolen parts," Taverner said. "They offer high rewards financially, with minimum risk."

Some of the vehicles were found in Gambia, others in Belgium. 

The Ministry of Transportation has created an internal unit to deal with car theft-related issues at ServiceOntario, Taverner said. 

He said ServiceOntario employees are not among the 59 arrested, "but they will be."

Most of the VIN numbers were created for the purpose of the fraud, but some were allegedly taken from cars that were scrapped or written off. 

Police recommend people who are considering buying a used car pay for a vehicle history document from the Ministry of Transportation, and then compare the information on it to the appearance of the car. 

"If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is," Taverner warned.