AURORA, Ont. — Police in the Toronto area have taken down a car theft ring that peddled luxury vehicles across the country and around the world.
They say 23 people have been arrested and $5 million in high-end vehicles, drugs and cash has been recovered as a result.
York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe says the organized criminal operation began with a "warm-up theft" of a car left running in a driveway and grew into a complex multimillion-dollar operation.
He says the investigation also involved residential break-ins where the alleged thieves would steal keys, then drive away with the vehicles.
Jolliffe says hundreds of vehicles were allegedly stolen and sold around the world.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and they expect to lay more charges in the future.
The 23 people arrested face 137 charges.
