Four people have been arrested and four other suspects are wanted in connection with an auto theft investigation across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
Halton police launched the investigation dubbed Project Ninja in May when it was determined that multiple vehicles had been stolen within the GTHA and transported to other countries.
Investigators identified several of the suspects as Algerian nationals who had travelled to Canada and resided in Quebec before relocating to the GTHA.
Police executed a search warrant on Aug. 24 at a short-term rental in Oshawa. There, officers found a large Toy Hauler RV that is alleged to have been used to transport the stolen vehicles.
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The department posted on X just before noon a video of a theft of a vehicle in progress, being loaded onto an RV.
Officers say that the suspects focused on taking new high-end vehicles, such as Toyota Tundras and Lexus RX350 SUVs that were parked overnight in private driveways.
Suspects allegedly smashed the cars’ rear windows and used reprogrammed blank key fobs to gain access to the vehicles before stealing them.
Investigators learned that the stolen vehicles were transported to Montreal, to be loaded onto boats at the ports and then shipped internationally.
Four residents from Quebec have been arrested and charged with offences involved in auto theft.
Canada-wide arrest warrants have been issued for the following four people:
- Youli-Wass Aidali, 22-years-old, from New Brunswick
- Yasser Hassani, 23-years-old, from Montréal
- Faycal Kessaci, 23-years-old with no registered residence
- Yacine Mamache, 24-years-old from Montréal
The department said that there have been 869 vehicles stolen this year in Ontario – a seven per cent drop in thefts since last year.
