UPDATE:
The Halton Regional Police Service has announced additional arrests in connection to a vehicle theft in Oakville.
On Wednesday, April 14th, the following individuals were arrested in the City of Mississauga.
21-year-old Mohammed Bouroubi of Quebec has been charged with the following:
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (3 counts);
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000;
- Possession of Break and Enter Instruments (2 counts);
- Possession of Automobile Master Key;
- Fail to Comply with Probation; and,
- Fail to Comply with Release Order.
18-year-old Xavier Giroux of Quebec has been charged with the following:
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (3 counts);
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000;
- Possession of Break and Enter Instruments (2 counts); and,
- Possession of Automobile Master Key.
21-year-old Malyck Kabika-Philistin of Quebec has been charged with the following:
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (3 counts);
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000;
- Possession of Break and Enter Instruments (2 counts); and,
- Possession of Automobile Master Key.
HRPS also seized relay theft tools/technology upon the arrest and the trio were held for a bail hearing.
Also, on Wednesday, April 14th, the HRPS executed a criminal code search warrant at a business located on Maingate Drive in Mississauga. Investigators seized five stolen vehicles that were originally stolen from the Waterloo, York and Toronto areas.
Anyone with questions or information about this vehicle theft is asked to contact Detective Constable Ben Merchant at the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2248.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
The Halton Regional Police Service has made a pair of arrests in connection to a vehicle theft in Oakville.
At roughly 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 30th, a Toyota vehicle was stolen from a driveway. The resident and owner of the vehicle heard the car start and reported the theft right away. Officers soon located the stolen Toyota and a second vehicle being driven in tandem.
The Halton Police says that attempts were made to stop the Toyota, but the vehicle managed to get away. However, the second vehicle was stopped, and the two occupants inside the vehicle were arrested.
20-year-old Mohammad Khan of Quebec has been charged with the following:
- Theft of motor vehicle
- Possession of Break and Enter Instruments
25-year-old Pablo Rawlins-Ramos of Quebec has been charged with the following:
- Theft of motor vehicle
- Possession of Break and Enter Instruments
- Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
- Fail to Comply with Probation
- Fail to Comply with Weapons Prohibition
Police also seized a signal relay device at the time of arrest. It is used to steal vehicles quickly. In a typical relay theft, suspects will approach a residence on foot and utilize the relay device to get past the vehicle’s security system. One of the suspects will be positioned near the house and the other near the targeted vehicle. The technology being used is able to access the signal transmitted by the key fob inside the house and relay it to a computer that is in the possession of the suspect near the vehicle. This captured data is then used to program a blank key fob and start the vehicle.
The Halton Regional Police Service is hoping to alert residents that the incidence of overnight vehicle thefts using a relay device are increasing. Thieves are targeting particular makes and models. They range from 2017 – 2020 Lexus vehicles included models RX350 and GX460, Toyota models, Land Rover Range Rover models and Ford pickup trucks. The targeted vehicles are stolen from residential driveways between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.. The cases are also popping up in Milton, with the Halton Police confirming a series of thefts in a Milton neighbourhood. Similar thefts are occurring throughout the GTA, as these vehicles are in high demand and are often shipped overseas.
The following steps have been provided by the Halton Police for residents to follow:
- Park your vehicle within a locked/secure garage as the majority of the vehicles are stolen from residential driveways;
- If a garage is not accessible, park another vehicle behind it in the driveway to act as a physical barrier to its removal;
- Invest in an aftermarket global positioning system tracker or have one installed by the dealer, as it may assist in recovery of the vehicle if it is stolen;
- Ensure your unattended vehicle(s) are locked and secure;
- Never leave spare keys in your vehicle;
- Never leave spare keys outside of your residence;
- When not in use, place vehicle keys inside a radio frequency shielding bag/pouch to block cell signals;
- Equip your vehicle with an alarm;
- Use other devices to deter thefts (e.g. steering wheel locking device); and,
- Consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system and ensure your cameras are properly placed and functioning for 24-hour use.
Anyone with questions or information about this vehicle theft is asked to contact Detective Constable Ben Merchant at the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2248.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
