3 men arrested after police discover 'chop shop' in North Dumfries

Waterloo regional police have arrested and charged three men in relation to a "chop shop" discovery in North Dumfries. 

On Nov. 23, regional police responded to a report of a stolen Toyota Tundra seen at a business on Darrel Drive in the township. 

When officers arrived at the business, they found the vehicle which had been previously reported stolen from the GTA. Two men were arrested. 

The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) held a media conference Wednesday morning for an update on the discovery. 

"As a part of the initial investigation at the business, the officers located what is commonly referred to as a chop shop," explained WRPS investigative services Supt. Shaena Morris at the media conference. 

"That's a place where stolen vehicles are disassembled for parts to be sold separately later on at the business."

The investigation continued the next day, when a third man was arrested.

Police executed a search warrant and 52 stolen, high-end vehicles were recovered worth approximately $4 million. 

Morris said the majority of the vehicles were those commonly targeted in reprogramming thefts, including Toyota Highlanders, Toyota Tundras, Lexus SUV's, Dodge Rams and Ford F150s.

"At this time, we believe the vehicle parts were being shipped overseas for resale," she said. 

Investigators also seized $80,000 worth of tools and three forklifts as office-related property. 

Police believe the operation had been running since October. 

Two men from Cambridge, a 73-year-old and a 36-year-old, were both arrested, along with a 29-year-old man from North Dumfries.

They were charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000.

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Tips to mitigate auto theft 

During her update, Morris warned these kinds of operations are not exclusive to Waterloo region and are part of a concerning trend growing across Ontario and Canada.

"Auto theft can significantly impact a victim's sense of safety and security, and over the past year we have observed a rise in vehicle thefts related to organized crime and we continue to allocate dedicated resources to these investigations."

In a release posted to the WRPS website, it gives the following measures to help drivers prevent theft of their vehicles:

• Block the access to the onboard diagnostic port to prevent thieves from reprogramming the vehicle's key fob or purchase an aftermarket immobilizer.

• Use a steering wheel locking device.

• When not in use, place the vehicle key fob inside a radio frequency shielding bag/pouch.

• Consider equipping your vehicle with an aftermarket GPS.

• Consider installing a wired camera system and audible alarm.

• Ensure all keys are accounted for and never left in the vehicle unattended .