Ontario police have arrested 18 people and laid over 100 charges in connection with a slew of home invasions and carjackings in the Greater Toronto Area.
The investigation called “Project Warlock” was a collaboration between Ontario Provincial Police, the Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force, York Regional Police, Waterloo Regional Police, Barrie Police and ServiceOntario.
Nine of those arrested were out on bail for other offences, police said.
Investigators found commonalities in these incidents together through “extensive video canvasses, physical evidence and forensics leading to the creation of Project Warlock,” which focused on an identified organized criminal network based in Brampton and Mississauga.
“Between November 2023 and January 2024, eight robbery incidents occurred in Brampton,” reads a statement from Peel Regional Police.
“Of these eight incidents, there were three home invasions, two involved firearms. There were two robberies involving firearms and three knife-point robberies. In addition, a series of carjackings occurred over a weekend in March 2024. These included five carjackings across the Greater Toronto Area, in both Peel Region and York Region, involving multiple luxury vehicles.”
A 14-year-old and two 17-year-olds were included among those arrested.
Over 150 charges were laid involving 17 home invasions, armed robberies, 12 stolen vehicles worth an estimated $1,200,000 in value and the seizure of four prohibited firearms.
Three of the firearms have been traced to the U.S. while the other had its serial number removed and has yet to be traced.
Additionally, police seized two imitation firearms and recovered over $55,000 worth of stolen property.
“During one of the home invasion incidents, a victim sustained a serious gunshot wound to the lower body that required medical attention,” reads the release.
The investigation led to police executing over 60 search warrants.
“Violence like this terrifies and shatters the sense of safety of residents and their families,” said Chief Nishan Duraiappah with Peel Regional Police.
“Everyone deserves to be safe in their homes, cars and at work. Our community is not a place for this type of criminality and Peel Regional Police will do everything to seize illegal firearms, arrest those who are terrorizing residents and deter criminality.”