Toronto Police Charge 7 People After 28 Luxury Cars Were Stolen Across The GTA (VIDEO)

Toronto Police have arrested seven individuals and recovered 19 stolen vehicles after an eight-month-long investigation into auto thefts in the GTA.

In a press conference on February 1, Staff Superintendent Lauren Pogue of Detective Operations, Inspector Richard Harris from the TPS Hold Up Squad and Inspector Shannon Dawson of the 32 Division revealed the results of Project Taurus, a project that started after several luxury vehicles were stolen in Toronto and York Region.

"These incidents, whereby suspects targeted high-end vehicles, primarily took place in the city of Toronto, but more specifically, along the Yonge Street corridor between Sheppard Avenue and Finch Avenue in Toronto," Harris said.

A total of 28 luxury vehicles were stolen, including Lamborghinis, McLarens, Rolls Royce, Bentleys, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz models. So far, 19 vehicles have been recovered.

"The crew would utilize various techniques during the commission of these robberies including distraction methods, such as intentional vehicle contact with unsuspecting victims, and on occasion, the suspects would also swarm unsuspecting victims as they exited or entered their vehicles," Harris said.

In a news release posted shortly after the press conference, police detailed one of the carjackings, which happened on January 7 at about 2:30 a.m.

According to the release, a Lamborghini driver parked in the area of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue and was approached by three men in another vehicle.

It is alleged that two men got out of the vehicle and approached the victim with a knife. They demanded that the victim hand over his keys and cell phone. They then fled in the Lamborghini, with the third suspect following behind in the vehicle they came in.

It is further alleged that one of the men who noticed police in the area then ditched the Lamborghini by Jane Street and Weston Road and fled in the suspect vehicle headed towards Mississauga to an address in the area of Anson Drive and Torbram Road.

A total of five people have been arrested in connection to the theft. Two others were arrested in relation to Project Taurus.

One man, Tre Seaton, is wanted on a Canadawide warrant as part of the investigation, police say. Seaton is wanted for robbery with a firearm and for disguise with intent.

Project Taurus seized two knives, two replica firearms and $40,000 in cash in the investigation.

Vehicle theft in Toronto and across the province has been on the rise lately. On average, a car is stolen every 48 minutes in Ontario, and in 2021 alone, 10,900 car theft claims were reported by insurers.

Recently, officers from a number of forces across the GTA recovered over 200 stolen vehicles.