AT least 47 South Asians figure among 119 people whom have been charged in Project Stallion, an ongoing investigation into vehicle and catalytic converter thefts in Toronto’s west end.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, Superintendent Ron Taverner, 22 and 23 District Commander, and Detective Sergeant Peter Wehby of the Organized Crime Investigative Support Team (OCIS) told the media that in November 2022, 22 and 23 Divisions, in collaboration with OCIS, launched an ongoing operation to reduce the number of catalytic converter thefts, and the number of stolen vehicles.

So far, Project Stallion has resulted in the recovery of 556 stolen vehicles worth more than $27 million and 314 charges laid against 119 people.

“Vehicle thefts in Toronto have more than doubled since 2019, making it a significant issue in our city and across the GTA,” said Demkiw. “Project Stallion is an example of the actions Toronto Police are taking in our local communities to tackle this growing problem. The Toronto Police Service, including our OCIS team and police divisions, are working in alignment to recover stolen vehicles and hold people who commit these crimes to account.”

He added: “The success of this investigation so far is the result of the dedication of our investigators and their countless support staff in 22 and 23 Divisions, units across the Service, and our partners in law enforcement, including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and CISO.”

Like in many parts of the GTA, vehicle thefts in Toronto have increased substantially over the past few years. In 2022, almost 2,000 vehicles were stolen in 22 and 23 Divisions, many of them Honda CR-Vs and Ford F-150 trucks. The same two divisions also saw over 300 catalytic converter thefts. Thieves are using highly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles, and are using those vehicles to carry out other crimes or to ship them overseas, where they are resold for well above their value.