A Quebec man faces nearly 30 charges after police allege he stole more than a dozen vehicles in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, some of which he placed tracking devices on prior to the thefts.
Halton Regional Police say they began an investigation in April after receiving a report of an attempted vehicle theft in Oakville. A resident had discovered an AccuTag tracking device attached to their vehicle, police said.
Investigators allege the suspect placed tracking devices on multiple vehicles before they were stolen.
Police say they executed several search warrants in connection with the investigation and linked 14 stolen Toyota and Lexus vehicles to the suspect. The vehicles were reported stolen between March and August, police said.
As part of the investigation, police have released video footage that they say shows the suspect appearing to place a tracking device underneath a vehicle parked at Sherway Gardens. In the footage, the suspect pulls up alongside the vehicle in another vehicle and within seconds is gone.
On Aug. 18, police arrested 25-year-old Darryl Davance of Saint-Jérôme, Que.
He is charged with 29 offences, including 14 counts of theft of a motor vehicle, 14 counts of failing to comply with a release order and one count of mischief over $5,000.
The charges have not been tested in court.
Police allege Davance was on release for similar offences at the time of his arrest.
The investigation is ongoing and police say the suspect may be connected to several additional vehicle thefts in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
Halton police said vehicle thieves are known to target busy public places, including shopping malls and hotel parking lots. They may discreetly place GPS or Bluetooth tracking devices on target vehicles, including in trailer hitches, side mirrors, wheel wells or bumpers.
Police say thieves can then monitor a vehicle’s location through an app and wait until it is parked in a quiet area before carrying out a coordinated theft away from security cameras and potential witnesses.
Police recommend vehicle owners conduct regular physical checks for unfamiliar devices, use available apps that can detect third-party trackers and activate their vehicle’s video-recording features when it is parked.
On Tuesday, police in Waterloo also released a statement advising residents about a rise in “unidentified trackers being discovered on personal property and vehicles.”
