Nearly 600 cars recovered in sweeping auto theft crackdown in Ontario, Quebec
An extensive crackdown led to the recovery of 598 stolen vehicles in Canada before they could be illegally shipped overseas, authorities announced Wednesday amid a boom in auto thefts across the country.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said the majority of the cars — 483 of them — are from Ontario and have a potential value of $34.5 million.
“As our intelligence indicated, the vast majority of recovered stolen vehicles — more than 430 — were taken from the Greater Toronto area,” OPP deputy commissioner Marty Kearns said.
“The primary vehicles being targeted were newer vehicles, including high-end pickup trucks and SUVs.”
The other 115 vehicles were stolen from Quebec, according to police. Police say the cars were supposed to be exported overseas to different markets in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America.
The months-long police operation, known as Project Vector, was done in collaboration with police forces in both provinces. Since December 2023, 390 shipping containers have been inspected and authorities say cars were discovered in sea containers in Montreal.
Kearns said “no arrests were made as a direct result of Project Vector” but that police continue to investigate.
“We’re not done,” he said.
Police say the hundreds of recovered cars were connected to different kinds of vehicle crimes, including carjackings and home invasions.
“For example, one of the recovered vehicles is linked 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 instance, thieves invaded a home during the early morning, confronted the homeowners and made off
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