At a recent police council meeting, Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner said several cars stolen from his town have been found in Morocco.
“We have found a large number of stolen vehicles in Morocco and other countries,” said Stephen Tanner, adding that these cars are sold there with Ontario license plates. According to him, once in Morocco, the vehicles are generally shipped to markets in Europe and other regions of Africa, reports the site inhalton.com. During the first six months of 2023, property crime increased by 13.8% compared to the same period the previous year, which can be attributed to car thefts, according to Halton crime data .
The increase in home invasions, where thieves take car keys, worries Stephen Tanner. According to him, Toronto is already facing this type of crime which is growing in the Peel region. According to him, it’s only a matter of time before it hits Halton head-on. Cars have been the target of burglaries in Milton and Oakville over the past three weeks, the police chief added.
Since the start of 2023, the total number of vehicle thefts stands at 265. Over the past five years, the number of vehicles stolen in the first half of the year has increased from 36 to 120 in 2023. In the eyes According to Tanner, car theft has become a national problem. He therefore calls for making more resources available to federal agencies such as the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency that could allow them to strengthen their presence in places such as the port of Montreal, shipping point for most vehicles stolen.
