An investigation that began last November, has led to the arrest of five men in connection with a car-theft ring operating in the West Island.
The men, aged between 19 and 34, were arrested April 18, as police executed four search warrants.
Marc-Olivier Delisle, 25, Mickael Brilo-Martin, 20, Christian Gaumont, 34, Esteban Cantos-Lepage, 25, and Jeremy Dumontier, 19, appeared in court last week and were charged with theft, handling stolen goods and conspiracy.
During the raids, Montreal police seized cellphones, cash, 34 grams of cannabis, key cutting tools, stolen licence plates, a locksmith tool known as a “slim jim,” as well as several documents from stolen cars.
Montreal police said the thefts mostly took place in hotel parking lots located near Montreal’s Pierre-Elliot Trudeau Airport, due to the proximity of a network of highways.
Officers credit the public with providing information on the investigation.
Police recommend the following tips to help cut down on car thefts:
- Park your vehicle in a well-lit space
- Always look your doors and close your windows even if you’re only leaving your vehicle for a short time
- Have the windows and major components of your vehicle etched
- Don’t leave documents with your address in your vehicle to avoid possible theft in your residence
- Have an immobilizer, a steering wheel lock, an alarm system and a tracking system installed
- Don’t leave a running vehicle unattended