5 charged with car theft after off-duty officer noticed suspicious vehicle
More than 200 Lexus, Toyota vehicles stolen in Ottawa in 2020
Ottawa police have charged four men and a youth in connection with a car theft in Ottawa's east end.
The men, all between the ages of 18 and 19, and a 15-year-old are charged with theft of a motor vehicle and possession of an automobile master key, among other charges.
An off-duty police officer noticed a suspicious vehicle idling in front of a house — with a newer Lexus SUV in the driveway — near Navan Road and Orléans Boulevard Drive just after 11 p.m. Tuesday. He then contacted fellow officers, according to a release sent Wednesday afternoon.
Canine officers pulled the suspicious car over in a traffic stop.
The men were arrested when police found key fobs, computers and electronics they said are commonly used in vehicle thefts.
Police ask anyone who owns a Lexus or Toyota vehicle and notices new damage to the driver's side door handle, or observes someone taking photos of their dashboard Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), to contact police.
"Vehicle thefts happen fast, oftentimes overnight, leaving the owner unaware until hours later," police wrote in the release.
Anyone with information on this particular incident is also asked to contact the Ottawa police East Criminal Investigations Unit.
