Downtown Toronto parking lot sees 20 vehicles broken into in a week, residents say

Residents at three downtown Toronto apartment buildings are posting signs in their underground parking lot – stating that their vehicles are empty – after they say 20 cars were broken into within the span of a week.

Irham Shafiq told CTV News Toronto his car was broken into last spring – but the problem is ongoing.

“In this parking (lot), every second day, man,” Shafiq said in an interview on Monday. “Something is happening, and security (is) saying we can’t do anything.”

The parking lot at 565 Sherbourne Street, managed by Target Parking, serves three apartment buildings, a condo building and a grocery store.

“There’s always broken windows every morning,” resident Immanuel Felix told CTV News Toronto. “As it happened to mine, it also happened to seven other cars as well, like that same day.”

There were five vehicles with broken windows when CTV News Toronto visited the parking lot on Monday, some with their contents tossed around, but often small amounts of cash were taken.

Residents say the garage is open 24 hours a day with little-to-no security, outside of one camera at the driveway.

A sign posted in the parking lot at 565 Sherbourne Street (Sean Leathong). “Every day when I come to my car, first thing I have to notice is whether my car has been broken (into) or not. That’s mental trauma, you know?” MD Sorar said in an interview, adding his car has been broken into twice this year.

When he contacted Target Park, Sorar said he was instructed to contact building security, who then told him to file a police report.

“If I file a police complaint, what will I get? They said I will get nothing,” Sorar said.

Toronto police confirmed to CTV News Toronto that a number of reports are currently under investigation. CTV News Toronto also contacted Target Park but did not hear a response.

A car parked in a downtown Toronto parking lot with dozens of vehicles broken into has a sign that reads, "Car is empty." The building’s security team told CTV News Toronto its security has started foot patrols of the area.

But Felix, Shafiq and Saroar all say more needs to be done.

“They need to take action,” Shafiq said.