Police in Toronto say more than 1,000 stolen vehicles have been recovered and over 220 people charged after a months-long auto theft investigation.
Speaking at an event on Wednesday, where some recovered cars were also on display, Toronto’s police chief said the recovered vehicles were valued at almost $60 million.
“We are not only taking action to recover stolen vehicles, but are working collaborating with our partners to disrupt the networks that are responsible for auto theft which are becoming increasingly violent and high-risk,” Chief Myron Demkiw told reporters.
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The police operation — nicknamed Project Stallion — led to more than 500 charges laid against 228 people. Police said the scale of the operation shows just how serious the carjacking problem is.
It ran from November 2022 and September 2023, spanning close to a year of police investigation.
Police are reassuring vehicle owners, however, that the end of this particular operation does not mean they are stepping down their work on carjackings.
Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner said vehicle theft remained a “top priority” for the force.
Earlier in October, it was announced Ontario Provincial Police and Toronto police would co-lead a task force focusing specifically on the rise in carjackings.
In a joint statement, the forces say there have been more than 300 carjackings in the GTA this year, with over 200 of those taking place in Toronto.
Vehicle theft more broadly has spiked in recent years, with some insurance industry groups calling it a crisis.
A total of almost 10,000 vehicles have been stolen in Toronto so far since the start of 2023, according to Toronto police.
— with files from The Canadian Press