Police lay more than 200 charges following investigation into thefts across GTA

TORONTO -- More than 200 charges have been laid in connection with a five-month long investigation into break-and-enters and thefts across the Greater Toronto Area.

York Regional Police began an investigation in April 2019 into individuals and groups they believed were breaking into homes.

“The majority of these crimes occurred between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., while people were at work or away from their residences,” police said in a news release issued on Friday.

According to investigators, officers connected 32 incidents in King, Aurora, Bradford, Barrie, Cobourg, Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Richmond Hill, Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Mono and Georgetown.

Over the course of the investigation, police also arrested two “distraction theft crews” in Markham.

“In these incidents, victims were followed from a bank where their vehicles were disabled or left unattended, at which time the suspects would take the cash that was withdrawn from the bank,” police said.

Officers recovered $62,000 in cash while investigating the distraction thefts.

Investigators said that several of the suspects were also responsible for retail thefts in Vaughan, Oakville, Mississauga and Brampton, targeting cell phone kiosks and high-end designer clothing stores.

Police executed numerous search warrants between April and October and seized more than $150,000 worth of stolen property, including jewelry, designer bags, clothing, currency and vehicles.

Forty-five people were arrested in connection with the investigation and charged with more than 200 offences, including breaking and entering, possessing property obtained by crime, and theft over and under $5,000.

According to police, many of the accused do not have resident status in Canada. Fourteen of the suspects have been deported to their countries of origin and nine offenders without status in Canada are before the courts.

Investigators have posted photographs of the items they recovered to a website and are asking any victims to contact them if they recognize their stolen property.