554 charges laid by carjacking task force that includes police in Mississauga and Brampton
Published January 25, 2024 at 10:32 am
A police task force formed last fall to fight the growing number of violent carjackings and other vehicle thefts in Mississauga, Brampton and across the GTA has so far laid 554 charges against 89 people, numbers released today show.
In addition, 109 stolen vehicles have been recovered by officers with the Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force, which was set up in September 2023 and is led by OPP and Toronto Police.
Peel Regional Police are also part of the task force along with their counterparts in York, Halton and Durham.
In addition to violent carjackings, many of which were carried out at gunpoint, police have also laid charges against those believed to have committed violent home invasions in which the homeowners’ vehicles were potentially targeted as well.
The task force is funded by the Ontario government via Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario.
OPP Det.-Supt. Paula Milne said in a news release that task force members work with other partners as well, including the Canada Border Services Agency and the OPP-led Organized Crime Towing and Auto Theft Team.
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“Through this ongoing collaboration, we are confident that we can identify and dismantle the organized crime groups that are responsible for the recent spike in serious vehicle crimes,” Milne said.
In Toronto, although the number of carjackings decreased in 2023 compared to the year before, “we continue to see a concerning rise in violence related to auto thefts that the task force will continue to address,” said Toronto Police Supt. Steve Watts, of the Organized Crime Enforcement squad.
“Across the GTA, members of the task force are successfully disrupting the networks responsible for high-risk auto thefts and holding those who are responsible to account,” he added.
Task force brass say members of the public can also do their part to protect themselves in the face of the growing threat.
To protect against home invasion, police suggest the following:
- park vehicles in garage, if possible
- ensure your driveway is well lit and keep exterior lights on all night
- security cameras are an asset
- if possible, install a home security system
- consider having a motion detection alarm connected to your cell phone
- put security film on glass windows and doors
- keep backyard gates locked and ground windows secured
- do not post on social media when you will be away on holiday
- report suspicious vehicles/people in the neighbourhood to police
To protect against carjackings, police suggest the following:
- remain vigilant at all times, especially while driving at night
- if you see someone coming toward your vehicle, lock the doors and set the alarm with your key fob. Noise will attract attention, which may deter thieves
- some thieves use intentional rear-end collisions as a tactic to commit carjackings. Once the motorist steps around back to inspect the damage, the thieves jump inside the vehicle and flee the scene. If your vehicle is rear-ended, remain calm. Do not exit the vehicle until it is safe to do so. Take note of the description of the driver and others, and the vehicle. If you notice anything suspicious, remain inside and call police or 911
- if you suspect someone is following you, drive to the nearest police station
- if you are approached by armed suspects, remain calm. Comply with their demands and call police when it is safe to do so