Ontario police disrupted an auto theft ring responsible for at least 40 stolen vehicles in the Greater Toronto Area worth over $3 million, following an investigation launched earlier this spring.
Halton Regional Police said that while the vehicles were stolen in the GTA, they were destined to be shipped overseas via the Port of Montreal.
The investigation, called Project Ninja, was launched in May after a Toyota Tundra was stolen in Hamilton and recovered in Burlington.
“Through an extensive canvas following the recovery of this Tundra, a suspect vehicle was subsequently identified,” Det. Phil Vandenbeukel told reporters on Wednesday.
Police tailed the suspect vehicle to a rented home in the GTA and initiated several months of surveillance and further investigation.
“Through surveillance and various investigative avenues, individuals were identified along with additional suspect vehicles,” said Vandenbeukel. “These individuals would frequently travel back and forth from Quebec to the GTA and often change locations of their short term rentals.”
According to police, the group targeted high-end newer model vehicles in Ontario, predominantly Toyota Tundras and Lexus RX 350 SUVs, stealing them while parked in private driveways overnight.
Vandenbeukel said the thieves would smash rear passenger windows and then reprogram blank key fobs allowing them to start the vehicles.
“Through surveillance, the group was observed transporting the stolen vehicles to the Port of Montreal a number of different ways,” he said. “These methods included loading them onto sea containers, and on several occasions, loading them into the toy hauler RV.”
HRP seized the “toy hauler RV” and displayed it outside their headquarters on Wednesday.
The suspects had gutted the inside of the RV to allow for a car to be driven inside and concealed for transport to Montreal.
“All of these stolen vehicles were destined to be shipped overseas,” Vandenbeukel said.
Police first noticed a stolen vehicle being loaded into the RV at a Scarborough industrial complex on July 24, prompting officers to execute a traffic stop with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police.
The driver was charged with trafficking stolen property over $5,000 as well as other auto-related offences.
Over the next several months, Project Ninja led police to more suspects in Toronto and Oshawa, resulting in 55 charges against eight individuals thus far.
Four of the suspects have already been taken into custody while the other four remain wanted on Canada-wide warrants.
Police confirmed that the suspects are Algerian nationals who are lawful residents of Quebec.
“We’re currently working with CBSA to determine more about their status. They are lawfully in Canada, residing in Quebec, and we do believe that they came to Ontario for the sole purpose of committing vehicle thefts,” said Detective Constable Autumn Mills.
While the investigation has led to 12 stolen vehicles now being recovered, police anticipate more as Project Ninja evolves.
“We believe this group is responsible for additional vehicles, vehicle thefts not yet linked to them, and as such, our investigation is ongoing,” said Vandenbeukel, who urged that anyone with information to contact investigators or call Crime Stoppers anonymously.