INVESTIGATORS from Ontario’s Peel Regional Police Commercial Auto Crime Bureau were involved in a six-month multi-jurisdictional investigation with numerous law-enforcement agencies and partners, resulting in the recovery of over 200 stolen vehicles worth over $11 million and the arrest of numerous members of a prolific auto theft ring.
Peel Regional Police commenced “Project High 5” in collaboration with investigators from Halton Regional Police, York Regional Police and the Ontario Provincial Police. This investigation was supported through the funding provided by the Ontario Government, Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario. The investigative team also included members from Canada Border Services Agency, Mississauga, Port of Montreal – SPVM Police, Equite Association (previously, Insurance Bureau of Canada), Port of Halifax and Halifax Police Service. These partnering agencies were able to aid in the recovery of several stolen vehicles while many others were recovered within the Greater Toronto Area.
Project High 5 was initiated after a documented increase in motor vehicles being stolen from residents within the Region of Peel and Greater Toronto Area. It is alleged that suspects forced open the driver’s door and obtained access to the vehicle’s On Board Diagnostic Port (OBD). Once this was achieved, they utilized key programming devices to program a new aftermarket key fob. These were not the result of relay thefts and were captured by victims and neighbouring residences on home security. Most of the vehicles targeted have been identified as being the most commonly stolen vehicles by Equite Association, namely, Toyota Highlander, Honda CRV, Ford F150, Range Rover, and Lexus SUV models.
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.
Investigators identified vehicles that had been fraudulently registered within the province of Ontario. These vehicles were sold to unsuspecting automotive dealerships, online dealer platforms and unassuming buyers. Police identified vehicles that had been exported previously and registered with cloned Vehicle Identification Numbers and further vehicles were recovered throughout the province and North America.
On Wednesday, January 19, members of the investigative team executed nine residential search warrants across Peel, Halton and York Regions resulting in the following:
· Charged persons: 24
· Vehicles recovered: 217
· Value of motor vehicles: $11.1 Million
· Charges laid: 321
· Firearms seized: One Loaded Glock .45 calibre hand gun with prohibited extended magazine and laser sight
· In excess of $100,000 in Canadian currency seized as proceeds of crime
· A quantity of drugs seized
· Automobile forgery documents and instruments seized
· Fraudulent government documents seized
This investigation is ongoing and further arrests are anticipated. Anyone who may have information pertaining to this matter is asked to call investigators at the Commercial Auto Crime Bureau at (905) 453–2121, ext.3322. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting peelcrimestoppers.ca.
