4 arrested in GTA theft investigation
Vehicle theft investigation links 4 arrests, 229 charges and $1M in losses See how Project Magenta exposed stolen cars, break-ins and fraud across Durham
Four people have been arrested and face more than 200 charges after a police investigation into vehicle thefts, commercial breakins, fraud and an attempted carjacking across Durham Region and Toronto.
Durham Regional Police said the case, called Project Magenta, connected the suspects to 36 incidents between June and September. Investigators allege the group was part of an organized criminal network involved in more than a dozen vehicle thefts and eight breakins at businesses.
Police estimate losses tied to the alleged crimes at about $1 million, and said the total could rise. Investigators also said stolen vehicles were sometimes used to smash into storefronts, then abandoned and replaced with other stolen vehicles. The targeted businesses included pawn shops, cannabis stores and jewelry stores.
According to police, 229 criminal charges were laid in total. Two 18yearold Toronto residents each face multiple charges, while two other accused, aged 15 and 16, cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police said the investigation is ongoing.