Four people are in custody after a Vaughan resident used his GPS to track down a work vehicle that had been stolen—down to the parking lot it was found at in Vaughan.
It was just after 11 a.m. on Monday when Larkin Fernandez realized his work vehicle was missing from his North York driveway. He contacted his employer, who quickly concluded the van had been stolen.
The vehicle was equipped with a hidden GPS tracker, which Fernandez’s employer—identified only as Yitzie—used to find the car.
‘“We saw it moving at the time,” Yitzie said.
Yitzie immediately contacted York Regional Police and directed them to Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. Within minutes, seven squad cars were on the scene.
“I was able to see from the satellite view. I actually told [police] it was about five or six spaces from the end of the parking lot near Legoland.”
York Regional Police Const. Laura Nicolle said that officers located the van shortly after and identified potential suspects after looking at video surveillance of the area.
“The officers responded very quickly and were able to locate those suspects,” Nicolle said.
“There was a short foot pursuit, some of the suspects tried to flee, but our officers caught them, and we now have four teens in custody.”
Yitzie praised York Regional Police as he watched a forensic officer dust his stolen van for fingerprints.
“They did their job, and they did it well, and they did it very quickly.”
Yitzie said he spends $45 a month on GPS tracking systems for each of his company’s six vehicles, but he says that money is well spent.
“The main thing is, it really gives us value.”
One officer sustained minor injuries during the foot pursuit.
