3 men arrested after series of violent carjackings in Oakville

Three men have been arrested and face several charges after a series of violent carjackings in Oakville, where the alleged perpetrators targeted Range Rovers.

Halton Police say three separate carjackings were carried out on May 27, May 30 and June 3 at different locations. They include Oakville Entertainment Centrum (Winston Churchville Blvd.), Dorval Crossing Plaza (North Service Road), and a plaza on Iroquois Shore Road east of Trafalgar Road.

Police allege the three men targeted newer model Range Rovers parked in commercial parking lots. Officers were eventually able to identify the suspects “through a variety of investigative techniques.”

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On June 6, police tracked a suspect vehicle to Sherway Gardens Mall in Etobicoke, where investigators believe the suspects were scouting another Range Rover to steal. Three men were arrested at the scene.

Police identified the suspects as 22-year-old Marcolammar Layne of Welland, Ont., 21-year-old Jayden Mesquita of North York and 21-year-old Augustus Francois of Toronto.

The three men face similar charges, including robbery and disguise with intent. Layne is facing a firearm charge and failing to comply with a release order.

They are being held on bail.

Anyone with information is being urged to contact Halton police.

Toronto, GTA police on high alert with carjacking crimes on the rise

The series of carjackings in Oakville follows an incident in May when Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner was carjacked at gunpoint and had his Range Rover stolen from a Cineplex parking lot.

Police said at the time the carjackers threw Marner’s cellphone out of the Range Rover and fled south in the SUV onto the Gardiner Expressway. In that case, police don’t believe the thieves targeted Marner and instead just wanted the luxury vehicle.

Toronto police and other officers spanning the GTA have stressed a level of urgency to crack down on carjacking crimes that continue to be carried out.

Task forces have been assembled to leverage a more significant police presence to catch carjacking perpetrators in the act.

“Individuals involved in carjackings target high-end vehicles. HRPS wants to remind members of the community to be cognizant of their surroundings while entering/exiting their vehicle and while driving,” a Halton police spokesperson said.

“If you find yourself a victim of a carjacking, protect yourself and do not try and fight with the suspects. They are often armed and can be violent. Get to a safe place and call 911.”

More:

• WATCH: Video shows carjackings in York Region; police warn of rise in violent vehicle thefts

• 2 suspects arrested after month-long violent carjacking spree across GTA

Participating in the carjacking task force are Toronto police, Peel police, York police, Durham police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

These police groups will focus on city-wide major crime activity where the investigative scope exceeds the resources of local divisions or has links to organized crime, Toronto police Chief James Ramer said last week.

This includes carjackings, auto thefts, kidnappings and other organized crime that falls outside the mandate of the other investigative units in Toronto.