Project Carbon targets alleged auto theft crew from Quebec

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“Vehicle theft is not just property theft, it is organized crime” Durham Region’s top cop said Thursday.

Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira stood before a huge poster showing off mugshots of those arrested – all from Quebec – in an auto theft investigation called “Project Carbon” along with seized tools, digital decoders, bags of cash and cocaine.

Moreira said officers started seeing vehicles being stolen from all over Durham Region in early January and a few in Toronto, and on March 13 they executed search warrants in Toronto.

In total in this investigation, 38 vehicles were stolen with 20 recovered so far with 11 people – including two teenagers who can’t be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act – were arrested and face over 160 charges in relation to the auto theft crew.

Eight of the accused were already out on “a release or probation order” when they were arrested.

“This is an extremely alarming pattern emerging in connection with auto thefts,” said Moreira. “Most of the suspects arrested were already out on bail or probation for prior offences.”

Since January, there have been 100 theft incidents in Durham.

Moreira went on to explain auto theft is lucrative for “organized crime” and “(provincial) borders mean nothing to them” as they are sent through the Port of Montreal to be dispersed worldwide.

“This is where there are high-valued targets (vehicles) for them to steal and they are going to do it,” said Moreira.

One officer involved in Project carbon, who did not want to be identified, said the thieves had checklists for vehicles like Toyota pickups, Lexus, Dodge and “it all depended on the demand of what the group was stealing.”

During the press conference, several shocking videos were shown of the robberies and officers almost being struck by suspects fleeing in vehicles.

One Moreira highlighted was a dangerous mid-day takedown by officers that was caught on a surveillance cam at a plaza on Stevenson Rd. S. in Oshawa on March 21.

One of those arrested in Project Carbon on March 13 – Assia Ouadria, 31, of Quebec – was allegedly spotted by police breaching her release conditions and when the officers approached her as she sat in a white Mercedes she peeled out of her parking spot sending an officer tumbling to the ground.

As the car spun around in reverse, Moreira said it slammed into a parked vehicle “like bumper cars” before speeding off from the approaching officers – a dangerous manoeuvre that was captured on video and released by police.

“Fortunately the officer didn’t sustain any serious injuries,” said Moreira. “The video shows the utter disdain these individuals have for law enforcement officers.”

Police say they remain vigilant in cracking down on other crime gangs that may be operating auto theft networks in Durham Region.

Ontario’s Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform Zee Hamid, who also attended the press conference, said, “Enough is enough.”

“No one should live in fear and afraid and that criminals can take what they have worked hard for,” Hamid added.

jboland@postmedia.com