Officials in Canada have announced that 598 stolen vehicles were recovered as part of a major crackdown, amid a surge in car thefts across the country. auto thefts across the country.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) mentioned that most of the recovered cars — 483 of them — are from Ontario and have an estimated value of $34.5 million.
“As our intelligence indicated, the vast majority of stolen recovered stolen vehicles — more than 430 — were taken from the Greater Toronto area,” stated OPP deputy commissioner Marty Kearns.
“The primary vehicles being targeted were newer vehicles, including high-end pickup trucks and SUVs.”
The remaining 115 vehicles were stolen from Quebec, according to police. Authorities say the cars were meant to be sent overseas to various markets in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
The police operation, known as Project Vector, was conducted in cooperation with police forces in both provinces. Since December 2023, 390 shipping containers have been checked, and officials say cars were found in sea containers in Montreal.
Kearns stated that “no arrests were made as a direct result of Project Vector” but that the police are continuing their investigations.
“We’re not done,” he said.
Police state that the numerous recovered cars were linked to various types of vehicle crimes, including carjackings and home invasions.
“For instance, one of the recovered vehicles is connected to a carjacking involving a handgun,” Kearns said. “Another vehicle was stolen from a driveway and then used for a residential break and enter just hours later. In another case, thieves broke into a home in the early morning, confronted the homeowners, and left with two vehicles.”
The extensive operation follows more than 30 arrests last month in both provinces for stolen vehicles. Last week, nearly 50 cars were recovered in Toronto by authorities.
The federal government reports that approximately 90,000 cars are stolen each year in Canada, leading to about $1 billion in costs to Canadian insurance policyholders and taxpayers.
— with files from Global’s Felicia Parrillo the Canadian Press
