Hwy. 401 reopens in Durham Region after police takedown on highway
Posted September 8, 2023 7:16 am.
Last Updated September 8, 2023 11:35 am.
A stretch of Highway 401 has reopened in Durham Region after a police investigation forced a closure for several hours during the Friday morning rush.
The eastbound lanes of the highway were blocked at Thickson Road due to a Durham Regional Police operation and takedown that occurred near the Whitby-Oshawa border around 6 a.m.
Durham police tell CityNews officers initially responded to the area of Wentworth Street and Thickson Road in Whitby around 5:45 a.m. for reports of a break-and-enter. It is alleged that two suspects fled the area in a vehicle as police arrived.
Responding officers were able to stop the suspect vehicle on the eastbound 401 near the Stevenson Road off-ramp. Two male suspects were then arrested at the scene.
Police say a minor collision occurred between the suspect vehicle and a police cruiser, resulting in minor injuries. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were on scene to investigate the collision and to assist with the highway closure.
Several callers to the CityNews 680 traffic centre reported seeing multiple police vehicles surrounding a van on the highway.
The morning closure lasted more than three hours, leading to a heavy backup of traffic heading eastbound through Whitby.
The highway reopened shortly before 9:30 a.m.
