25 stolen vehicles valued at $2.2M recovered by York police, CBSA

Authorities managed to put another dent in the burgeoning auto theft industry, with York Regional Police announcing on Friday the seizure of 25 stolen vehicles valued at more than $2.2 million.

The vehicles had all been reported stolen from across the Greater Toronto Area.

The probe began in November 2023, when members of the York police’s Auto Cargo Theft Unit became aware of a parking lot in Mississauga in which several stolen vehicles were parked.

An investigation was launched and police say they were able to identify several suspects and discover other locations where stolen vehicles were being stored.

On December 14, officers executed a search warrant at a warehouse in Mississauga where police say stolen vehicles were found inside shipping containers.

Police say they recovered 25 stolen vehicles, as well as a number of stolen licence plates, master car keys and a key re-programming device. The total estimated value of vehicles exceeds $2.2 million, a release states.

Five suspects were arrested during the search warrant execution, while a sixth was arrested by CSBA officers at Pearson Airport on December 22, 2023.

The accussed are:

Samuel Owusu-Hammond, 31, of Toronto
Michael Arthur Clark, 42, of Oakville
Kiryl Andrushkevich, 31, of Toronto
Laye Mamadee Kromah, 25, of Hamilton
Ala’a Ghazal, 25, of Mississauga
Alex Kabia, 52, of Toronto

They are all facing several theft-related charges, and three of the suspects also face additional charges of breaching bail conditions.

“Our investigators are working diligently to tackle organized auto theft,” said York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween.

“In conjunction with utilizing a data-driven approach and making use of specialized tools and resources, our dedicated teams work closely with our law enforcement partners to optimize our results.”