In a press release issued Thursday, Ottawa police said they launched an investigation in March after learning that a man was buying and using fraudulent vehicle identification (VIN) plates. The plates, usually located along the edge of the driver’s side panel, inside the door or sometimes inside the engine compartment, are sealed with the vehicle’s unique 17-digit VIN, which can be used to locate of its origin. It is illegal to remove or modify them. Ottawa police told CBC they spotted four Jeep Grand Cherokees and two Dodge Ram trucks while carrying out a pair of search warrants in the western part of the city on Wednesday. The vehicles had been stolen by “Ottawa and regional delegations in recent months,” according to the press release. Investigators also found “key fob programming equipment, key chains and fraudulent documentation,” according to Ottawa police.
Two more vehicles were sold, police believe
Const. Scott Herriot told CBC that two more stolen vehicles had been “spotted” by police nearby. “They have not been recovered yet. The neighboring services that help us have seen them, noticed them and that is why we are making efforts to recover them.” Herriot said investigators believe the vehicles were sold online by the same suspect. The 32-year-old is charged with eight counts of theft of a motor vehicle, unauthorized use of a computer, possession of a master car key, fraud not exceeding $ 5,000 and modification, removal or removal of a VIN. The man also faces seven counts of smuggling property obtained through crime and two counts of burglary, burglary and possession of burglary tools. He faces an additional charge of conspiracy to commit a felony that can be charged. The man was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. Ottawa Police also thanked Smiths Falls Police, Gatineau Police, Ontario Provincial Police, and Canada Border Services (CBSA) for their assistance.
“A different element”
According to the CBC, thieves have been targeting high-quality Toyota and Lexus SUVs for years, often stealing them from the streets while their owners were asleep. Herriot said these latest thefts could potentially signal a new trend, not only because the vehicles had been stolen from dealerships but also because they involved different makes and models. “This is a different element,” Herriot said. “The vehicle can ‘wake up’, if you want, in a different way and it doesn’t really need to be physically broken.” The same is not true of other brands, Herriot said. “What we saw with Toyota and Lexus is a different method, just because of the vehicle system.” Hundreds of high-tech SUVs from Toyota and Lexus have also been stolen in recent years, often from the streets while their owners were asleep. The latest thefts represent “a different element”, according to a researcher. (Stu Mills / CBC) Another difference, according to Herriot, is that the suspect in the latest thefts is a resident of the area, while many of the Toyota and Lexus thefts were linked to suspects from the Montreal area. Herriot did not say whether police believe the Ottawa suspect worked alone or as a member of a criminal gang. Many of these stolen Toyota and Lexus SUVs were likely shipped to African and Middle Eastern countries for resale, according to police.
No make or model is safe from theft
On Thursday, police advised the owners of these trademarks to remain vigilant. “Any Lexus / Toyota SUV owners who notice new or new damage to the driver’s door handle or have someone photograph their vehicle identification number (VIN) on their dashboard should report it to the Ottawa police,” according to the news release. issued on Thursday. “Owners of newer buttoned SUVs that notice damage are also encouraged to report it.” While these vehicles are usually stolen from the roads and not from dealerships, Herriot said no make or model is safe from theft, especially if they have a button ignition. “If they have the technology available … then it is very likely,” he said. The new Jeep Grand Cherokees start at over $ 52,000, while a new Dodge Ram 1500 starts at around $ 48,000.
