Investigators from the Service de police de Laval (SPL) on Thursday dismantled a network of vehicle thieves intended for export, while the territory of Île Jésus has seen a meteoric rise of 84% in car thefts in one year .
“Vehicle theft is a real scourge. We have seen a spectacular increase in one year and we really associate this increase with the decrease in inventories at car dealerships. This shortage has developed a market where there is interest and thieves are responding to a demand abroad for this type of vehicle, ”says Jean-François Rousselle, deputy director and head of investigations at the Service de police de Laval.
Throughout 2021, 686 vehicles were stolen on Laval territory. This year, as of December 15, that figure is already 1,557, an increase of 84%.
According to Mr. Rousselle, the number of 1557 is even “conservative”. He estimates the total value of vehicle thefts committed since the beginning of the year at more than 33 million.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jean-François Rousselle, Deputy Director and Head of Investigations at the Laval Police Department
We know the same phenomenon that the big cities are experiencing, such as Toronto or Montreal.
Jean-François Rousselle, Deputy Director and Head of Investigations at the Laval Police Department
Direction port of Montreal
On Thursday, SPL general crimes investigators carried out six searches in Sainte-Sophie, Saint-Calixte, Mont-Tremblant, Sainte-Julienne and Montreal.
They arrested six people and recovered a dozen potentially stolen vehicles, including a Ram pickup truck and a Jeep Sahara.
Successful searches
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The police seized about 50 sports wheels that were allegedly stolen.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
These vehicles were waiting for the police when they burst into this building in Montreal.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The police have drawn up a rigorous inventory of everything they found in Sainte-Sophie in the Laurentians.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Several spare parts of various vehicles were found at the scene of the searches.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The police took note of the serial numbers and other information of any property found relevant to the investigation.
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They also got their hands on more than $50,000 in Canadian and American cash, and 53 sport tires and wheels (magazines).
One of the locations searched, rue Saint-Jacques in Montreal, served as a transit point where vehicles were loaded into containers to be transported to the port of Montreal and exported by ship to a country still unknown.
The network was very well organized. It is not known if he was linked to a criminal organization.
The suspects mainly targeted Ram and Grand Caravan vehicles, most of them recent, no more than two or three years old.
During the week, day and night, they mainly scoured the parking lots of large shopping centers.
They would open the vehicle door with a tool, turn off the alarm system, pull out an electronic device, clone the key, start the engine and leave the scene in minutes, without damaging their loot.
One of the individuals arrested has been released and will appear on summons, while the other five remain in custody and will face charges related to motor vehicle theft.
The black list
The most stolen vehicles in Laval are the Honda CR-V – by far – the Acura RDX, the Ram 1500, the Jeep Wrangler and the Dodge Durango.
In addition to investigations, Laval police are carrying out spontaneous operations in the parking lots of shopping centers, in particular at Carrefour Laval, where they have arrested eight people in recent months.
Laval police recommend that motorists, to avoid having their vehicle stolen, install a tracking system, use a metal bar designed to lock the steering wheel and place their keys in a bag or box. Faraday type, which cuts the signal emitted by them.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.