The Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) says it has arrested four individuals for two series of luxury car thefts that occurred in 2020 and 2021.
These arrests have taken place in recent months, Gatineau police said in a statement released Wednesday. In total, eleven number of vehicle thefts were authorized by the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) as part of these investigations.
The first series of vehicle thefts occurred between January 16 and 25, 2020. Recent models of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks from Toyota and Lexus were specifically targeted. They were quickly brought to the Montreal area and then exported abroad. Two people from the Montreal area were arrested for the first series of thefts and both faced eight counts of vehicle theft.
The second series of thefts, which occurred between July 12, 2020 and July 25, 2021, this time targeted recent Ford pickup trucks of the F150 and F250 models, which were also brought to the Montreal area for for export purposes. Two other individuals from the Montreal and Saint-Lin-Laurentides region were arrested and both faced four counts of vehicle theft.
the SPVG specifies that all stolen vehicles are equipped with a push-button start system.
These systems, though convenient, can be reprogrammed with a new key, allowing criminals to take control.explains SPVG specifying that before committing their piracy, suspects typically conduct surveillance by driving at low speeds in residential neighborhoods to target vehicles.
Tips to prevent theft
the SPVG therefore citizens are invited to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity in their area.
Gatineau police also recommend parking their vehicle in a lighted area under video surveillance to prevent criminals from taking action, or at least, provide essential elements to the investigation in case of theft.
It also points out that some tools for vehicle theft prevention are available in the market, such as an anti-theft device on the steering wheel of the vehicle, a protector. OBD (onboard diagnostics) blocking access to the universal socket OBD which provides access to the vehicle’s on-board computer, a vehicle-independent anti-theft system and a vehicle-independent tracking system.
the SPVG invites anyone with information related to vehicle theft to contact its information line at 819-243-4636, option 5.
Source: Radio-Canada
