York Regional Police say officers have recovered 50 stolen vehicles valued at around $3 million in connection with an ongoing theft investigation dubbed Project Extinction.
In a news release Tuesday, York police said that over the past several years, there has been an increase in vehicle thefts from residential driveways, with the majority occurring between midnight and 6 a.m.
The thieves have used tools like screwdrivers to gain access to the cars while ensuring to not set off alarms, police said.
The statement said that once they get inside, an electronic device normally used by mechanics to reprogram a vehicle’s settings is used to program the vehicle to accept a key that the thieves brought with them.
Once it’s programmed, the vehicle starts and the thieves drive away.
Police said the entire process only takes 10 to 20 minutes.
Stolen vehicles are then commonly shipped overseas.
“The York Regional Police Auto/Cargo Theft Unit with the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency and Equite Association have remained active and aggressive in efforts to combat this issue and to identify suspects responsible,” the statement said.
In a recent investigation, police said they identified eight suspects and executed search warrants on two residences and a commercial property.
Fifty stolen vehicles valued at around $3 million were recovered, along with $80,000 in cash, police said.
Police encouraged vehicle owners to take precautions to protect their vehicles from theft, including parking their cars in a garage if possible, using a steering wheel lock, installing a lock on the car’s data port, and purchasing a video surveillance system.