24 charged after 217 stolen vehicles worth $11.1M recovered in GTA police-led probe
Posted January 27, 2022 4:54 pm.
A six-month probe into stolen automobiles has led to the recovery of more than 200 vehicles, collectively worth $11 million, and the arrests of 24 people in Ontario and Québec, police say.
According to a statement issued by the Peel Regional Police Service Thursday afternoon, the investigation — dubbed Project High 5 — started after an increase in reports of stolen vehicles.
Citing home security camera footage, officers allege suspects pried open doors and generated new key fobs after accessing the onboard diagnostic ports in each of the vehicles.
“It is alleged that car owners in residential neighbourhoods were targeted while they slept and the vehicles were then loaded into shipping containers to export them to the United States and multiple West African and Middle Eastern countries,” the statement said.
It was reported Toyota Highlanders, Honda CR-Vs, Ford F150s, Range Rovers and Lexus SUVs, the ones most commonly stolen, were primarily targeted.
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The statement also said a portion of the vehicles were fraudulently registered with the Ontario government and later resold. Some vehicles exported in the past were also found throughout North America.
The joint enforcement initiative involved officers from Halton and York regions, the OPP, Canada Border Services Agency, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Halifax police, and the Équité Association.
Warrants were executed at nine homes across the Greater Toronto Area on Jan. 18.
Officers said 24 people in the GTA and Montreal, ranging between the ages of 17 and 65, were collectively charged with 321 offences. They also said more than $100,000 in cash, a handgun, drugs, automobile instruments, and fake vehicle and government documents were also seized.
News of the arrests came amid heightened concerns in recent months over an increase in vehicle thefts.
Meanwhile, anyone with information about the issue was asked to call Peel Regional Police at 905-453-2121 ext. 3322 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
