Suspects in GTA auto theft ring came to Ontario ‘for sole purpose’ of stealing cars: Halton police
Halton Regional Police say they have disrupted a group believed to be responsible for the theft of at least 40 vehicles in Halton Region and the Greater Toronto Area worth over $3 million.
The vehicles were stolen from the GTA and were destined to be shipped overseas, police say.
The investigation started in May after a stolen Toyota Tundra from Hamilton was recovered in a residential area in Burlington.
“Through an extensive canvas following the recovery of this Tundra, a suspect vehicle was subsequently identified,” Det. Phil Vandenbeukel told reporters.
That suspect vehicle led police to a rented home in the GTA, which kicked off several months of surveillance and further investigation.
“Through surveillance and various investigative avenues, individuals were identified along with additional suspect vehicles,” Vandenbeukel said. “These individuals would frequently travel back and forth from Quebec to the GTA and often change locations of their short term rentals.”
While in Ontario, the group targeted newer model high-end vehicles – mainly Toyota Tundras and Lexus RX 350 SUVs that were parked overnight in private driveways, police said.
The suspects would damage the rear passenger windows of the vehicles and then reprogram blank key fobs to steal to steal them, Vandenbeukel said.
Vehicles transported in fake RV, sea containers
“Through surveillance, the group was observed transporting the stolen vehicles to the Port of Montreal a number of different ways,” he said. “These methods included loading them onto sea containers, and on several occasions, loading them into the toy hauler RV.”
Police showed off the recovered “toy hauler RV” outside of police headquarters Wednesday. The RV resembles a normal camper on the outside, but the inside has been gutted – allegedly to allow a car to be driven inside and concealed for transport to a shipping port.
Halton police show off an RV they say was hollowed out in order to transport stolen vehicles from the GTA to the Port of Montreal for shipping overseas.
“All of these stolen vehicles were destined to be shipped overseas,” Vandenbeukel said.
He said police spotted a stolen vehicle being loaded into the gutted RV at an industrial complex in Scarborough on the evening of July 24, and officers then moved in to execute a traffic stop with the assistance of Ontario Provincial Police.
Police charged the driver for trafficking stolen property over $5,000 and other auto-related offences.
Further investigation over the next month led police to more suspects in Toronto and Oshawa
Police say they have brought 55 charges against eight suspects in the investigation so far. Four of them have been taken into custody, while four others are wanted on Canada-wide warrants.
Suspects came to Ontario to steal cars: police
The suspects, police said, are Algerian nationals who are lawful residents of Quebec.
“We're currently working with CBSA to determine more about their status. They are lawfully in Canada, residing in Quebec, and we do believe that they came to Ontario for the sole purpose of committing vehicle thefts,” Detective Constable Autumn Mills said.
Halton Regional Police have identified eight suspects in connection with 'Project Ninja,' an investigation into an organized auto theft group operating throughout the GTA.(Handout)
So far 12 of the stolen vehicles have been recovered, but police say they expect more will be recovered as the investigation progresses.
“We believe this group is responsible for additional vehicles, vehicle thefts not yet linked to them, and as such, our investigation is ongoing,” Vandenbeukel said.
He urged anyone with further information to contact investigators or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Milton increases to a Category 4 hurricane as Florida prepares for massive evacuations
Hurricane Milton strengthens into a Category 4 storm, and Florida could see dangerous storm surge, forecasters say.
DEVELOPING Police in several cities to increase presence ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary
On the anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks in Israel, police departments in cities across Canada are increasing their presence in Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as at the locations of planned protests.
Lawyers for Madeleine McCann suspect seek acquittal in his German trial on unrelated sexual offence charges
Lawyers for a man who is also under investigation in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann called on Monday for him to be acquitted in his trial on charges of unrelated sexual offences.
Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, dead at 63
Christopher Ciccone, a multihyphenate artist, dancer, designer and younger brother of Madonna, has died. He was 63.
Alleged suicide kit salesman files in Supreme Court to contest whether assisted suicide can ever be murder
Lawyers representing the Ontario man accused of selling hundreds of suicide kits with deadly effect around the globe have filed to intervene in a case in Canada’s highest court, arguing there is no way he can be charged with murder under Canadian law.
Rare cloud formations ripple the sky over Ottawa
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Man arrested after stealing Vancouver police cruiser, driving it into neighbourhood park
A man stole a police car and drove it onto the field of an East Vancouver park Sunday morning, placing 'dozens of bystanders in harm’s way,' according to police.
War rages on multiple fronts as Israel marks a year since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack
Israelis held sombre ceremonies on Monday to mark a year since the deadliest attack in the country's history, a Hamas-led raid that shattered its sense of security and ignited wars on two fronts with no end in sight.
Timeline: What has happened in Canada since Oct. 7, 2023
The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters on Israel last year, and the immediate Israeli retaliation that followed, sent shockwaves throughout the world that have shaken Canada culturally and politically.