Toronto police have recovered more than 1,000 vehicles worth an estimated $60 million during a year-long investiggation into the thefts of autos and catalytic converters in the city’s west end.
Dubbed “Project Stallion,” it was launched in on Nov. 7, 2022 and largely focused on neighbourhoods in Etobicoke in 22 and 23 Division. The probe concluded on Sept. 24.
During a Wednesday afternoon news conference at the Toronto Police College in Etobicoke, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw stood in front of five of the recovered vehicles to announce that police have laid 553 charges against 228 people, including several minors.
Police said vehicles, mostly high-end ones, were stolen from the driveways of homes, from hotel and airport parking lots, and from local attractions, like Woodbine Casino.
Project Stallion was supported by Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, a partnership between the provincial government and the law enforcement community that aims to identify and tackle organized crime across Ontario.
So far in 2023, Toronto police said they’re aware of 9,747 vehicles stolen in the city, including more than 3,500, which were stolen in 22 and 23 Divisions during the joint investigation.
Aside from releasing the probe’s final results, Demkiw also assured the public that Toronto Police Service is “continuing to take action against rising auto thefts in our city.”
“I want to note that this project represents only one of the strategic and intelligence-led initiatives that service has undertaken to tackle the ongoing problem of auto thefts in our city and across the Greater Toronto Area. We are not only taking action to recover stolen vehicles, but are working collaboratively with our partners to disrupt the networks responsible for auto thefts, which are becoming increasingly violent and high risk,” he said.
One of those efforts, he said, is a new a provincial carjacking joint task force, which was announced last week. Demkiw said that this initiative has already resulted in the arrest of 24 people who are facing a total of 116 charges related to carjackings, home invasions, assaults, or other forms of intimidation.
“The level of violence being used in the commission of these crimes represents a new and evolving threat to public safety,” he said.
“This level of threat and crime is unacceptable to me as the chief of police. As a service, we are committed to the safety and well being of our residents above all else and we will continue to work in alignment with our law enforcement partners and other external agencies including the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario to address this serious issue.”
Police are also implementing various crime prevention efforts in every division, said Supt. Ron Taverner, the district commander of 22 and 23 Division.
Taverner noted that since 2019 the number of auto thefts across Toronto has more than doubled and is a “significant issue” for police, one that they are continuing to tackle.
“These results demonstrate how seriously we're taking this issue, but we recognize that for many people in the city their vehicles may never be recovered and more importantly, their feelings of safety and security have been compromised,” he said.
“This can happen as a result of having your car stolen out of your driveway, but even more so if you've been a victim of carjacking or other violence, which can be incredibly traumatic to victims and their loved ones.”
Taverner went on to say that curbing auto theft “remains a top priority” for the service and its partner policing agencies.
With files from CP24’s Chris Fox.
