Theft of vehicles in caravan trailers

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To other road users, these travelers appear to be campers with a caravan trailer.

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It is proof that in the world of crime, appearances can be deceptive.

The RV in question was allegedly used for a fishing trip to steal nice cars from the GTA while on vacation.

The According to police, the arrested or hunted “Algerian nationals” were not in Canada for vacation, but allegedly to stock up on stolen cars.

Your so-called vacation is over.

Halton Regional Police say they have uncovered an international car theft spree in which stolen vehicles were being moved out of the area right in front of the public.

It’s entirely possible that the trailer you were stuck behind on Highway 401 this summer was used for more than just fun. In fact, it may have been used to transport stolen vehicles from the Greater Toronto Area to the Port of Montreal without anyone suspecting a thing.

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That was until the police involved in Project Ninja supposedly put an end to this fake camping trip once and for all.

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“On August 24, 2024, HRPS officers arrested three suspects in connection with the investigation,” Halton Police said Wednesday. “Subsequently, a Criminal Code search warrant was executed on a short-term rental residence in Oshawa, where additional evidence was located and seized.” A fee will also be charged for the fourth person.

Part of the seizure was “a large Toy Hauler RV that was used to hide and transport the stolen vehicles,” police said.

A toy transporter?

Photographer Jack Boland and I heard about this amazing bust and wondered what a Toy Hauler is.

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As we have since learned and according to the police, this was a rather sophisticated method of secretly transporting stolen cars and pickup trucks to illegal markets abroad.

According to Thor Industries, there are several manufacturers of this great product.

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“Available as a Class A, Class C, or fifth wheel trailer, Toy Haulers give you a place to live and a place to store your toys, including dirt bikes, motorcycles, ATVs, kayaks, and more. Many people consider Toy Haulers to be the wild child of the RV world. While Toy Haulers were originally intended to be mobile man caves with diamond-coated walls, this popular RV style has evolved into much more. Today, think of Toy Haulers as open living spaces with multi-purpose utility.”

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It appears that individuals suspected of being involved in organised crime have managed to convert these trailers for their own purposes. Halton Police have released surveillance video of a car theft in which criminals can be seen reversing a stolen vehicle into one of these trailers.

“It became almost like a garage,” Boland noted. “You’d never know what was in there.”

But the police found out what was supposedly going on and set up an investigation team. Within three months of the launch of Project Ninja, Halton police arrested four suspects and issued arrest warrants for four others.

“Auto theft is more than just car theft. The proceeds from stolen vehicles fund organized crime that impacts the safety and well-being of all law-abiding citizens,” said Deputy Chief Jeff Hill. “Today’s announcement is not the first and will not be the last. The Halton Regional Police Service remains firmly committed to combating this priority issue at all levels and we will continue to do everything in our power to identify, arrest and bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.”

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This was certainly a job well done by Halton officers, who also conducted a major operation as part of Project Catfish just this week. During this investigation they made numerous arrests and seized weapons, cash and drugs.

With about 50 vehicles stolen every day in the GTA, Project Ninja was a blow to the alleged gang.

“In May 2024, members of the HRPS Organized Crime Unit began investigating an organized group of car thieves operating in the Halton Region and Greater Toronto Area,” Hill said.

“During the course of the investigation, it was determined that most of the suspects were Algerian nationals who had traveled to Canada. Once in the country, the suspects initially resided in Quebec but then moved to the GTA where they lived in short-term rental accommodation,” he claimed. “From these locations, the suspects committed numerous reprogramming thefts and stole vehicles over the course of several days before returning to Quebec.”

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Charged with multiple counts of car theft and possession of stolen property valued at more than $5,000 are: Amine Garti, 23, Badr-Eddine Draoui, 23, and Ramy Bitout, 23 – all of Montreal – and Olivier Paquette, 25, of Saint-Jerome.

Police issued arrest warrants for four men on suspicion of possession of property obtained by crime: Youli-Wass Aidali, 22, of New Brunswick and Yasser Hassani, 23, Faycal Kessaci, 23, and Yacine Mamache, 23, all of Montreal.

None of the allegations were tested in court.

Chief Steve Tanner praised his officers and the OPP and Canada Border Service for their hard work on this case.

The holidays are over. Thanks to Project Ninja, these trailers can once again transport legally purchased toys.