Car thieves, street racers beware as OPP get four helicopters to catch Ontario offenders
Published March 26, 2024 at 5:17 pm
Car thieves, drunk drivers and dangerous street racers will soon have more eyes in the sky on them with word Tuesday police in Mississauga, Brampton and across the GTA and southern Ontario are getting four new helicopters with which to nab the worst offenders on the highways.
OPP will reportedly receive $46 million over three years via the Ontario government’s latest budget unveiled this afternoon to put four new patrol helicopters in the air.
The choppers are expected to better arm police as they seek to further clamp down on auto theft, dangerous and illegal street racing, and impaired driving. They’ll also help improve search and rescue efforts.
In a news release on Tuesday, provincial government officials said the additional helicopters and other police initiatives to be funded by the new cash will “improve community safety in the Greater Toronto Area by supporting increased patrols and faster response times to major incidents and serious crimes.”
Auto theft and illegal street racing are two activities police in Mississauga and across the province have been targeting much more intensely the past couple of years as the illegal behaviours have dramatically increased.
Just last week, Peel Regional Police hosted their second annual Auto Theft Summit in Mississauga that welcomed police brass, auto industry officials and others to the table to brainstorm ways in which to curb crime.
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In late February, Peel police revealed details of a bust in which 31 people were arrested in connection with a series of illegal street racing incidents, including one that briefly shut down a section of Highway 427.
Tuesday’s Ontario government budget also included various investments in housing, health care, sports and recreation, and initiatives to help workers and job seekers, provincial government officials said.
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