Photo: Halton Police
A bust in Halton has stopped up to 35 stolen vehicles from being shipped off to Dubai, UAE.
In November of 2022, Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) officers began investigating two suspects believed to be trafficking stolen vehicles out of a warehouse in Burlington. Vehicles were stolen from throughout the GTA and loaded onto shipping containers intended for Dubai, UAE.
READ: Two suspects arrested after stolen vehicle from Halton found in Vaughan
On Tuesday, February 14th, HRPS officers arrested 38-year-old Suleiman Alhamarneh of Mississauga and 27-year-old Amro Alkiswani of Mississauga. They have both been charged with the following:
- Trafficking in Stolen Property over $5000 (14 counts)
- Possession of Stolen Property over $5000
- Possession of Automobile Master Key
Both accused were held in custody pending a bail hearing.
READ: Public meeting on rise of vehicle thefts in Milton
The HRPS Auto Theft Task Force thanked the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) for their assistance in this investigation.
There are some measures that residents can take to decrease the chance of the vehicle being stolen:
- Park your vehicle in a locked garage
- Block the exit of a potential target vehicle with a second vehicle parked behind it
- Install and on-board diagnostic blocker/protector
- Install a steering wheel lock device
- Install an aftermarket GPS tracking device
- Install home security cameras on the exterior of the residence
The HRPS is applying significant resources to investigate these occurrences. Crime prevention is a shared responsibility. Please call 911 if you witness a crime in progress or if you see suspicious persons/vehicles in your neighbourhood.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Regional Auto Theft Task Force at 905-825-4777 ext. 3407.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
