Inter-provincial Investigation Busts Car Theft Operation

In March, Alberta Law Enforcement claimed they had busted a major stolen vehicle ring operating between Alberta and Quebec. A spokesperson for the Alberta Law Enforcement said more than 100 stolen vehicles have been identified in a complex scheme.

The inter-provincial investigation started in November 2012 and involved ALERT, Special Investigations Unit of Service Alberta, RCMP Montreal National Port Enforcement Team, Insurance Bureau Canada, Terrebonne Police Service, Surete du Quebec, Societe de l’assurance automobile du Quebec and the Edmonton Police Service.

The operation worked by stealing vehicles in Quebec, then driving them to Alberta where they would be “legitimized” with false vehicle serial numbers numbers, registration, and dealer tags before being taken back to Quebec where they were re-registered before being sold to “friends and associates,” according to the spokesman Mike Tucker.

It is not believed that the Provincial Registries staff were implicit in the auto-theft operation. While most vehicles remained in Canada, a number were sent out the country to Ghana, South Africa, and two were intercepted on their way to Costa Rica.

Tucker commented, that the criminals were “using very high quality fraudulent documents and VIN numbers.” If it wasn’t for the investigation by inter-provincial law enforcement “no one would have any information otherwise that these were stolen vehicles.”

Theft over $5,000 is an indictable offence. If you have been charged with auto-theft, you will need to the experience of a criminal legal council. Contact Gregg Dunn today to get the legal help you require.

Posted on April 24th, 2014