Nearly 600 stolen vehicles have been recovered — 58 from York Region — before they were illegally exported by the Ontario Provincial Police-led Provincial Auto Theft and Towing Team and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have recovered 598 vehicles as part of Project Vector.
Of the 598 vehicles recovered during inspection of 390 shipping containers since last December, 483 are from Ontario, valued at approximately $34.5 million, according to a news release. The remaining 115 were stolen in Québec.
The border service agency regularly works with the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) and Équité Association to search sea containers suspected of containing stolen vehicles, according to police. Approximately 75 per cent of vehicles recovered from sea containers in Montréal are identified as stolen in Ontario.
"Project Vector has disrupted the criminal networks that take advantage of the Canadian export market to sell stolen vehicles. These vehicles were destined to be exported overseas, to markets in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America. PATT will continue to assist police and justice partners in identifying, disrupting and dismantling organized crime networks involved in vehicle crimes," OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns said.
The OPP-led team and CBSA collaborated with the SQ, SPVM and Équité Association to assist with vehicle recovery, while reducing the number of vehicles stolen in Ontario and illegally exported through the ports of entry, police said. This initiative was supported by PATT's joint forces operation partners, including police services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
A breakdown of vehicles reported stolen to Ontario police services that were recovered as part of Project Vector:
- 215 - Toronto Police Service
- 125 - Peel Regional Police
- 58 - York Regional Police
- 19 - Halton Regional Police Service
- 15 - Durham Regional Police Service
- 13 - Ontario Provincial Police
- 12 - Ottawa Police Service
- 7 - Hamilton Regional Police Service
- 6 - Niagara Regional Police Service
- 5 - Waterloo Regional Police Service
- 2 - Woodstock Police Service
- 2 - Barrie Police Service
- 2 - South Simcoe Police Service
- 1 - London Police Service
- 1 - Guelph Police Service
The recovered vehicles have been connected to various types of vehicle crimes, including carjackings and home invasions, police said.
Investigations into these stolen vehicles remain ongoing. Police services of jurisdiction are responsible for continuing their investigations surrounding these recovered vehicles, as well as any ensuing arrests.
Anyone with any information about auto theft is urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
In 2023, the OPP established the Provincial Auto Theft and Towing, a joint forces operation that is assisting police and justice partners in identifying, disrupting and dismantling organized crime networks involved in vehicle crimes.
- Brantford Police Service
- Durham Regional Police Service
- Halton Regional Police Service
- London Police Service
- Niagara Regional Police Service
- Ottawa Police Service
- Peel Regional Police
- Sûreté du Québec
- Toronto Police Service
- York Regional Police
PATT's partners include RCMP, Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Canada Border Services Agency, CN Police, CP Police, Équité Association, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.
PATT members work with international agencies such as INTERPOL, authorities and community stakeholders at ports of entry.
