25 stolen vehicles recovered, 2 Quebec men arrested after GTA auto-theft operation busted

Two men from Quebec have been arrested and charged in connection after police recovered 25 vehicles stolen from the Toronto area.

In a release issued Tuesday, Halton police said that, in early September, officers identified a suspect believed to be responsible for “numerous” auto thefts in the Greater Toronto Area.

While executing search warrants, officers discovered several stolen vehicles, kept at two addresses – a commercial property in Orangeville and an industrial warehouse in Toronto.

On Sept. 21, officers executed a third search warrant at a residential property in Oakville in which they located two suspects, and issued arrest warrants for two additional individuals.

20-year-old Ali Kirisikoglu and 26-year-old Nicolas St-Jean-Lamothe, both residents of Quebec, were arrested and charged with a number of theft-related offences.

The charges have not been tested in court. Both of the accused were held for a bail hearing, police said.

In total, officers recovered 25 stolen vehicles during the investigation.

Investigators are asking anyone with relevant information to contact them at 905-825-4777, ext. 3407.

Halton police says it is “applying significant resources to investigating auto theft.” However, the service also underlined steps residents can take to decrease the chance of vehicle theft, such as parking it in a locked garage, blocking the exit of a potential target vehicle, installing security devices, and operating a home surveillance system.