The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) Auto Theft Task Force has made a pair of arrests and laid more than 30 charges after an investigation into an organized auto theft network.
In November of 2022, HRPS officers began investigating two suspects believed to be trafficking stolen vehicles out of a warehouse in Burlington. Vehicles were stolen from throughout the GTA and loaded onto shipping containers intended for Dubai, UAE.
To date, 35 vehicles intended for overseas have been intercepted and seized by police.
On February 14, 2023, HRPS officers arrested Suleiman Alhamarneh (38) of Mississauga and Amro Alkiswani (27) of Mississauga. They have both been charged with the following:
Trafficking in Stolen Property over $5000 (14 counts)
Possession of Stolen Property over $5000
Possession of Automobile Master Key
Both accused were held in custody pending a bail hearing.
The HRPS Auto Theft Task Force would like to thank the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) for their assistance in this investigation.
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
The HRPS is applying significant resources to investigate these occurrences. Crime prevention is a shared responsibility. Please call 911 if you witness a crime in progress or if you see suspicious persons/vehicles in your neighbourhood.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Regional Auto Theft Task Force at 905-825-4777 ext. 3407.
Tips can also be submitted 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.
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