The Alberta RCMP has recovered nearly $1.9 million worth of stolen vehicles following an auto theft investigation that uncovered a sophisticated scheme involving fraudulent vehicle registrations and insurance scams.
The investigation, led by the RCMP Auto Theft Unit, included several search warrants executed in Edmonton, with support from the St. Albert RCMP, Central Alberta Crime Reduction Unit and the Edmonton Police Service.
According to Staff Sgt. Luke Halvorson of the RCMP's community safety unit, since December, investigators have so far recovered 30 vehicles and are working to locate over 150 more suspected to be connected to the case.
"Some of the vehicles have been recovered in Ontario, Northwest Territories, Alberta, and one was shipped overseas," said Halvorson. "We suspect more have been sent overseas as well."
According to police, the operation involved stealing vehicles, creating new VINs, and using the third-party authorization system to register the vehicles through unsuspecting individuals, making them appear legitimate.
The RCMP is working with Service Alberta to address loopholes that allow third parties to easily register vehicles.
"We are alleging that someone would go and steal a vehicle, then someone would create a VIN for it, and then utilize one of the other people in the organization to register that vehicle through the third-party authorization system, therefore legitimizing that vehicle," said Halvorson.
Some vehicles were then insured and falsely reported stolen, allowing individuals to collect payouts while keeping the vehicles. Others were sold to unaware citizens, who may now be unknowingly driving stolen vehicles that "could be seized at any time."
Halvorson said if you have been a victim of identity theft or have lost your ID, you should check with a registry agent to make sure you don't have any unknown vehicles under your name. He also said if you are buying a vehicle and the deal is "too good to be true," you should check and see if it has been reported stolen.
"These vehicles are registered in unsuspecting citizens' names, but they're not at those people's houses for us to just go check," Halvorson said. "Someone else is driving them around, potentially in another province or another country."
So far, vehicles have been seized in Ontario, Northwest Territories, Alberta and one in the Middle East. Halvorson said most vehicles were recovered locally.
In this case, high-end vehicles were targeted.
"It's typically high-end vehicles a year or two old, a lot of higher-end pickup trucks, Land Rovers, Toyotas, really anything that they can steal," he said.
Despite the current investigation, auto theft is down in Alberta.
"Between January and June, the Alberta RCMP has seen a continuous drop in auto theft four years in a row, with the highest drop being this year of 18 per cent," Halvorson said.
Halvorson urged the public to take precautions. He said around half of the stolen vehicles had keys or fobs left in the vehicles.
In addition to vehicle theft, the investigation led to the seizure of over one kilogram of cocaine, more than 200 OxyContin pills and nearly $10,000 in cash.
Mohamed Hajar, 40, a resident of Edmonton, faces 46 charges, including uttering forged documents, fraud over $5,000, participating in a criminal organization and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Edmonton's Ryan Garford, 40, a resident of Edmonton, faces 28 charges, including uttering forged documents.
Sean Broyles, 37, has been charged with uttering forged documents. Yuvraj Dhillon, 22, is charged with fraud over $5,000 and trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.
All four residents were set to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice on July 29. Warrants have also been issued for Zachary Frazer, 34, a resident of Edmonton and two High River residents, 56-year-old Loranne Smith and 61-year-old Darlene Noel.
