Halton Regional Police have made multiple arrests following the theft of 14 new vehicles from the Ford Motor Company plant in Oakville.
Overnight on Jan. 7 to 8, police say thieves cut a large hole in the exterior fence surrounding the property and stole 14 brand new Ford Edge vehicles valued at approximately $630,000.
Halton Police took carriage of the investigation, and through partnering with neighbouring police services, 12 of the 14 vehicles have been recovered throughout the GTA.
Police have also arrested five people in relation to this investigation.
On Jan. 9, Tom Thibault-Levesque, 35, of no fixed address, and Barbara Veronica Rachwal, 36, of Mississauga, were arrested in Mississauga.
Thibault-Levesque has been charged with the following:
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking (two counts)
- Fail to comply with release order (two counts)
- Possession of a prohibited weapon.
Thibault- Levesque was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Rachwal has been charged with the following:
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking (two counts).
Rachwal was released on an undertaking.
On Jan. 10, James Park, 34, of Bowmanville, and Kamorey Mitchell, 33, of Brampton, were arrested in Scarborough.
Park has been charged with the following:
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession of a controlled substance (two counts).
Park was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Mitchell has been charged with the following:
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Breach weapons prohibition.
Mitchell was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
The fifth person arrested in relation to this investigation is Joseph Wells, 42, of Rockwood. His arrest and charges were previously highlighted by Halton Police in a Jan. 17 media release.
"Other arrests in relation to this investigation have been made by neighbouring police services, however no charges have been laid in relation to the initial break-in to the Ford plant and this investigation remains ongoing," police said in a news release.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777, ext. 2216.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
The accused people are considered innocent until proven guilty in court.
