Supt. Ron Taverner talking about Project Stallion in which 1,000 vehicles were seized.
Toronto has been the scene of 10,000 high-end car thefts and 200 of the 300 carjackings this year that occurred in the GTA, according to police.
Car thieves have been busy in South Etobicoke and the Rexdale area, with more than 3,000 vehicles stolen this year, according to police.
Police in an undercover operation, called Project Stallion, targeting car thefts said 9,800 vehicles were stole in our city last year and one third from 23 Division and 22 Division in South Etobicoke.
Chief Myron Demkiw says 3,000 vehicles were stolen in 22 and 23 Divisions in north and south Etobicoke this year.
A joint police task force has been put together to stem the incidents of violence related to auto crimes occurring in Ontario, which has increased over the last several years.
In South Etobicoke, some 13 vehicles were reported stolen in Etobicoke West Mall in 2022. About 96 were stolen in Islington-City Centre West that same year, with 41 swiped in Mimico, 10 in New Toronto, 30 in Long Branch and 40 in Alderwood in 2022.
On October 18 two youths were arrested for stealing a 2023 Hyundai Elantra in Rexdale. The suspects bumped the vehicle from behind and when it stopped one youth pulled out a gun and stole the vehicle.
Police said the stolen vehicles are used to carry out other crimes or are shipped overseas for resale. The vehicle identification numbers (VINs) are altered and the vehicles are sold domestically.
Some of the stolen vehicles seized by police in Project Stallion.
“Carjackings are a serious public safety issue, which have resulted in assault and even homicides,” said OPP Supt. Paul Mackey, of the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB). “To evade police, thieves may drive dangerously, putting the lives of pedestrians, other motorists and police in danger.”
The newly-created Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force (PCJTF) will involve Toronto Police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
It also involves police services from across the GTA, including York Regional Police, Halton Regional Police Service, Durham Regional Police Service, Peel Regional Police and other agencies, including Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario.
One of the many high-end vehicles seized by police.
“The violence associated with auto thefts in Toronto and across the GTA is a concerning trend, and can be incredibly traumatic for victims and their loved ones,” said OECB Supt. Steve Watts.
The officers will address the rising incidents of violence related to auto crimes across the city.
“Whether it be a carjacking, a home invasion, an assault, or other form of intimidation, the level of violence being used in the commission of these offences represents a new and evolving threat to public safety,” according to a police.
The purpose of the PCJTF is to disrupt the networks responsible for high-risk auto thefts, which increasingly involve violence, firearms and other weapons.
“Members of the task force will work to maximize enforcement efforts against criminal organizations involved in violent vehicle crimes who are operating within the GTA,” police said.
The PCJTF will be notified of violent auto crime occurrences taking place in each jurisdiction, which will then be investigated by the respective service and task force.
Anyone with information about auto thefts in their community is encouraged to call police at 1-800-222-TIPS (6477) or visit ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
Police are warning car owners to place their keys away from windows or front doors, install lighting, security cameras or tracking devices or bars to lock their steering wheel so thieves will have a harder time stealing their vehicles.