Police investigating high-end vehicle thefts in Hamilton arranged through online posts

Hamilton police are alerting residents of several recent high-end vehicle thefts connected with sellers posts on mainstream websites.

Investigators say in three incidents, the suspects used ads on Auto Trader, Kijiji and Facebook to make arrangements with sellers to view vehicles.

During the prospective transactions, the suspects waited for an opportunity to get into the vehicles alone and drove away.

Detectives believe two men may be involved in the three robberies and have released surveillance images of the pair.

Police are suggesting buyers take a number of precautions when selling or purchasing a used vehicle online. The recommendations include:

• Meet in a public place during daylight hours
• Speak with the seller ahead of time to establish a plan, method of payment, route to test drive
• Bring a friend
• Bring your phone and turn on your location tracking on your device
• Ensure your meeting spot is surrounded by populated roads, avoid highways
• Should a suspect flee, do not take a risk and attempt to stop the vehicle

Anyone with information on the suspects in the recent thefts can reach out to investigators through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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