Police have announced the seizure of over 52 stolen vehicles from a North Dumfries chop shop valued at over $4 million.
On Nov. 23, the Break, Enter and Vehicle Theft (BEVT) Team responded to a report of a stolen Toyota Tundra at a business on Darrell Drive just minutes outside of Cambridge in the Township of North Dumfries.
The vehicle was previously stolen from the GTA and when police arrived on scene found the vehicle and arrested two males. While police were present at the business, they witnessed a "substantial chop shop" where 52 other vehicles from the GTA would be found.
"This was a large sophisticated operation," said Morris of the chop shop. "Investigators believe this has been running since October of this year."
Three individuals including a 73-year-old man and a 36-year-old man from Cambridge and a 29-year-old man from North Dumfries have been arrested and charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000.
Morris added the majority of the vehicles recovered included those commonly targeted in reprogramming thefts such as, Toyota Highlanders, Toyota Tundras, Lexus SUVs, Dodge Rams and Ford F-150s.
Police believe that these vehicles were being dismantled and shipped overseas to aid in the repair of other stolen vehicles.
Along with the $4 million in recovered vehicles, police also seized $80,000 in tools including three forklifts.
Due to the large scale of the operation, police are still investigating to determine if others are involved but could not comment if they suspect more thieves are at large.
"It is a very large operation, as you can see and certainly the investigation is continuing, we are not stopping our efforts in following through," added Morris.
Police warn to consider taking steps to protect your vehicle such as:
- Block the access to the onboard diagnostic port to prevent thieves from reprogramming the vehicle's key fob or purchase an aftermarket immobilizer.
- Use a steering wheel locking device to deter theft
- When not in use, place the vehicle key fob inside a radio frequency shielding bag/pouch to block cell signals.
- Consider equipping your vehicle with an aftermarket Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker, as organized groups can easily defeat onboard manufacturing tracking. The tracker may assist police in locating the vehicle and/or suspects.
- Consider installing a wired camera system and audible alarm, as subjects are known to carry devices that can jam wireless cameras.
- Ensure all keys are accounted for and never left in the vehicle or unattended.
"Auto theft can significantly impact a victim sense of safety and security and over the past year, we have observed a rise in vehicle thefts related to organized crime," said Morris.
"The surge in vehicle thefts is not limited to Waterloo Region, though. It's part of a growing concerning trend across Ontario, in Canada. We want to reassure our community that we will continue working closely with Police Services across Ontario, focusing our strategies on enhancing enforcement and proactive initiatives to combat this crime and hold those responsible accountable."
In a press release, police ask if anyone observes suspicious people in their neighbourhood looking into vehicles, contact police immediately. This will assist investigators in tracking patterns of criminal behaviour and potentially identifying suspects.
A crime in progress can be reported by calling 9-1-1. Any non-emergency incidents can be reported by calling 519-570-9777.
