Toronto police lay 150 charges in stolen auto investigation

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Toronto police said Wednesday that they arrested seven people and on 150 charges in an undercover auto theft investigation as the number of stolen vehicles skyrockets in the city.

Police said under Project Paranoid, 48 stolen vehicles were seized worth an estimated CAN$1 million (US$740,000) but that is just the tip of the iceberg as thefts have reached a crisis point.

Earlier this month at a police board meeting, chief Myron Demkiw said that in 2023, more than 12,000 vehicles were stolen in the city, which is one vehicle every 40 minutes. The vehicles were valued at about $800 million.

Organized crime is behind the thefts, said police.

Project Paranoid, which includes several police organizations, was created last August to tackle the soaring number of auto thefts.

“Project Paranoid demonstrates the resources that the Toronto Police Service is dedicating to tackling the auto theft epidemic – and the positive results of this work,” said Staff Superintendent Pauline Gray at a news conference, Wednesday. “It also demonstrates the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to address an issue that is impacting the safety and well-being of our communities.”

The situation is serious enough that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he is considering stiffer penalties for auto theft. Trudeau made the remarks at a national summit on combatting auto theft in February.

“First things first, we need to stop these criminals who are part of the gangs and organized crime,” Trudeau said. “We’re also looking at further strengthening penalties for anyone who participates in auto theft.”

The top stolen vehicle in Ontario in 2023 was the Honda CR-V with 2,684 thefts. That was followed by the Lexus RX Series and the Dodge Ram 1500 series half-ton.

Many of the stolen vehicles go to the Port of Montreal where they are put in containers and shipped overseas. Others have their vehicle identification numbers changed and sold in Ontario.