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
BREAKING Federal government to further limit number of international students
The federal government will be further limiting the number of international students permitted to enter Canada next year. It’s the government’s latest immigration-related measure to address Canadians' ongoing housing and affordability concerns.
BREAKING Bloc MPs will vote confidence in Liberal government next week: Blanchet
The Conservatives' first shot at toppling the Liberal government is doomed to fail, after Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters his MPs will vote confidence in the government.
DEVELOPING Exploding electronic devices kill 9, wound hundreds in Lebanon
Lebanon’s health ministry said Wednesday that at least nine people were killed and 300 wounded by exploding electronic devices in multiple regions of the country. The explosions came a day after an apparent Israeli attack targeting pagers used by Hezbollah killed at least 12 and wounded nearly 3,000. Here are the latest updates.
What to know about the deadly electronic explosions targeting Hezbollah
Just one day after pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded, more electronic devices detonated in Lebanon Wednesday in what appeared to be a second wave of sophisticated, deadly attacks that targeted an extraordinary number of people. Here's what we know so far.
Canada abstains from UN motion calling on Israel to end occupation of Gaza, West Bank
Canada abstained today from a high-profile United Nations vote demanding that Israel end its 'unlawful presence' in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank within a year.
Record-breaking Lotto Max jackpot tickets sold in Ontario, Quebec
Two lucky people in Ontario and Quebec will split Tuesday’s record-breaking $80-million Lotto Max jackpot.
Rogers Communications to buy out Bell's share of MLSE for $4.7 billion
Rogers Communications Inc. is buying out Bell's 37.5 per cent share of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for $4.7 billion, giving it 75 per cent ownership of the sports conglomerate.
'I'm here for the Porsche': Video shows brazen car theft in Mississauga
Video of a brazen daylight auto theft which shows a suspect running over a victim in a stolen luxury SUV has been released by police west of Toronto.
'Unsightly' under-construction home must be finished or demolished, B.C. court rules
A B.C couple has been ordered to stop living in a motorhome on the property where their under-construction home – which they were first given a permit to build more than six years ago – has become an “eyesore,” according to a recent court decision.