Montreal police strike another big blow in a network of car thefts, a type of crime that exploded last year. Eleven stolen vans were found in a warehouse in the north of the island, following an operation that also led to the arrest of two suspects.
Posted at 3:00 p.m.
Maikol Richard Martinez Cabrera, 21, and Firas Al Najem, 24, were first apprehended on June 12. The first of the two was pinned down by patrol officers as he was about to board a stolen van. His arrest as well as “different elements” of the investigation then led the investigators to an address located north of the island of Montreal.
Once there, the police arrested the second suspect, who was driving another stolen van. Shortly after, the SPVM police reported having found on this second suspect “the remote control for the door of a nearby garage”.
This garage was therefore searched in the following hours, after obtaining a warrant. It was there that investigators found “nine other stolen vehicles which were immediately seized”, for a total of 11. The value of the seized vehicles is estimated to be “nearly two million dollars”.
The two men appeared before a judge the next day at the Montreal courthouse. They now face charges of conspiracy, receiving over $5,000, possession of a prohibited weapon and an automobile master key, but have been released on conditions pending further procedures. Among the conditions, they were notably prohibited from possessing a weapon.
Investigation still ongoing
Despite these accusations, the investigation will continue in the coming weeks. It is that Montreal investigators say they have reason to believe that the suspects “could be linked to other thefts” and that they “could have acted with the help of accomplices”.
The authorities suggest that Montrealers install a tracking system on their car to be able to find it in the event of theft. Equipping yourself with a box blocking a signal emitted by a smart key, an immobilizer, a lock on the integrated diagnostic system or even an anti-theft bar, are also relevant solutions in the context.
In Montreal, vehicle thefts exploded last year, going from 4,789 in 2020 to 6,527 in 2021, according to the most recent SPVM annual report released on Monday. Still, motor vehicle thefts had plateaued after a steep decline since the turn of the decade. In its report, the SPVM states that “technological advances, the refinement of the tools used and the scarcity of vehicles and parts due to the pandemic partly explain this significant increase”.
Anyone with relevant information about the accused or their crimes is invited to contact 911, their neighborhood station or the anonymous and confidential Info-Crime Montreal center, by dialing 514-393-1133.