Etobicoke hit hard by thieves targeting luxury vehicles

Vehicle thefts have been on the rise in south Etobicoke’s 22 Division since 2018. There have been 197 auto thefts in the division so far this year (as of June 17), a 27 percent increase over this time last year when 155 offences had occurred. There were 131 vehicle thefts in the division year-to-date in 2017.

“We’re getting hit right now pretty badly,” said Det. Ray Direnzo of the 22 Division major crime unit, noting thieves are cloning car keys using laptops and are “getting the vehicle started within 30 seconds to a minute.”

The stolen vehicles, he said, end up in containers that are shipped out of the country.

In this article recently published in the Etobicoke Guardian, Metroland Media and Toronto.com reporter Andrew Palamarchuk speaks with Det. Ray Direnzo of the 22 Division Major Crime Unit and Crime Prevention Officer Const. Allan Vercholuk about the recent rise in luxury vehicle thefts and how to prevent them.

Read the full article here: https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9450555-etobicoke-hit-hard-by-thieves-targeting-luxury-vehicles/