Halton Region police investigators say they have charged eight men alleged to be part of an organized auto-theft ring that stole high-end vehicles throughout the GTA for shipment overseas.
At a news conference Wednesday, police said 55 charges have been laid thus far in the months-long investigation. Four of the accused have been arrested and are awaiting bail hearings, while four others are wanted on Canada-wide arrest warrants.
Investigators alleged the group stole at least 40 vehicles, primarily newer-model Toyota Tundra pickup trucks and luxury Lexus SUVs valued at roughly $3 million, between January and August this year.
The vehicles were loaded onto sea containers and transported to the Port of Montreal, where they were sent to Dubai and Morocco, police said. The group sometimes used a modified toy hauler — a recreational vehicle that typically has a large rear garage space and loading ramp — to transport stolen vehicles from Ontario to Quebec before they were transferred to shipping containers.
Det.Const. Autumn Mills, who headed up the investigation, said all the accused reside in Quebec and frequently travelled to Ontario for the “sole purpose” of stealing vehicles.
Some of the group are Algerian nationals living lawfully in Montreal, and they would stay in short-term rentals throughout the GTA for several days at a time while they stole vehicles in the region, according to Mills. Halton police officers are working with the Canada Border Services Agency to “determine more about their status” in the country, Mills said.
Det. Phil Vandenbeukel, who leads Halton police’s organized crime unit, said 12 of the 40 vehicles were recovered during the investigation. Police believe the group is likely responsible for additional thefts and further charges could be forthcoming, he added.
Investigators allege the group was stealing the vehicles by re-programming key fobs. Mills said they may have specifically targeted Toyotas because the auto giants’ vehicles are especially vulnerable to this type of theft.
None of the alleged thefts involved home invasions or carjackings, Mills added.
The accused range in age from 22 to 35 and the charges against them include conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, theft of a motor vehicle and trafficking in stolen property.
Halton police Deputy Chief Jeff Hill said 869 vehicles have been stolen in Halton Region in 2024 so far, a seven per cent decrease from the same time period last year.