In a press release of Jan. 12, 2022, Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) announced the arrest of three Quebecers after an attempted theft of a Lexus SUV in Oakville, Ontario.
An alert Oakville resident notified the police of a suspicious male in their driveway examining their Lexus SUV on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, just before midnight.
After arriving, Halton Police arrested three Quebec residents in their twenties in connection to the investigation.
A 22-year-old man from Anjou QC, A 21-year-old man from Laval QC, and a 21-year-old man from Montreal QC have all been charged with:
- Theft over $5000
- Possession of an Automobile Master Key
- Possession of Break-In Instruments
All three suspects were held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Please note that individuals charged with a crime are innocent and can only be found guilty if convicted by a court of law.
The HRPS has seen a large volume of theft of high-end sport utility vehicles during the past year. Suspects have used relay or reprogramming methods to steal these vehicles, often using blank key fobs or automobile master keys.
During a reprogramming theft, the suspect(s) forcefully enters the vehicle. Once inside, the suspect(s) access the vehicle's diagnostic port, which allows them to reprogram a blank key fob to start and steal the vehicle.
The majority of vehicles being targeted include (but are not limited to):
- Honda CRV
- Lexus RX 350
- Toyota Highlander
- Ford F150
There are some measures that residents can take to decrease the chance of the vehicle being stolen:
- Park your vehicle in a locked garage
- Block the exit of a potential target vehicle with a second vehicle parked behind it
- Install and on-board diagnostic blocker/protector
- Install a steering wheel lock device
- Install an aftermarket GPS tracking device
- Install home security cameras on the exterior of the residence
Additional Tips:
- Always lock vehicle doors and close all windows
- With the colder weather approaching, never leave your vehicle running with the keys in the vehicle
- Never leave a spare key inside any vehicle in the driveway
- Ignition/Fuel Kill switches
- Aftermarket car audio alarm
The HRPS is applying significant resources to investigate these occurrences. Crime prevention is a shared responsibility. Call 911 if you witness a crime in progress or if you see suspicious persons/vehicles in your neighbourhood.
If you have information regarding this investigation, please contact the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 ext. 2216.
You can also submit tips 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.