High-end GTA carjacking ring dismantled: Peel police
Published August 26, 2020 at 9:06 pm
Peel police say officers across various police services have disbanded a GTA carjacking ring.
Police say since March 2020, both Brampton and Mississauga have experienced an increase in high-end vehicle thefts, often involving the use of weapons and threats of violence.
Police allege that some instances involved suspects feigning interest in purchasing vehicles that were advertised for private sale, while others involved them stealing cars after purposely rear-ending them.
Police allege that the organization behind the spate of carjackings was involved in over 20 incidents throughout the GTA.
“These were violent crimes and developing a response strategy were a priority for the Peel Regional Police and our partners,” police said in a news release.
“Over the past several months, investigators from the Peel Regional Police Central Robbery Bureau, with assistance from members of York Regional Police, Halton Regional Police, Toronto Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police identified several suspects in relation to this violent series of carjackings.”
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Police say that numerous search warrants were executed and a total of eight suspects have been charged with 47 offences.
The seized property includes eight high-end vehicles along with over $30,000 in cash, keys for other high-end vehicles, and approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine. The total value of the seized property is approximately $1,100,000, police say.
“This is an incredibly violent crime which threatens our community’s safety and results in severe trauma for our victims,” Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said in a statement.
“It will not be tolerated and is a priority for our service. The results of this project are a demonstration of that commitment from our investigators, policing partners, and the community. Collectively, we will have an impact”
Police have charged Mississauga man Harison Wijayawickrama, 24, Whitby man Mehki Hyman, 20, Brampton man Andrew Drever, 27, Brampton man Manjot Grewal, 23, Brampton man Abishan Jegatheesan, 22, Brampton man Lovepreet Gill, 23 and Mississauga man Tanhar Rashid, 27 in connection with the incidents.
Police are still searching 27-year-old Mississauga man Rodel Seelochan (pictured above).
Police are asking anyone who believes that they have been intentionally hit by another vehicle while driving to remain in their car and dial 9-1-1.
Anyone with information on these incidents or potential dashcam video of these incidents is asked to call investigators with the Central Robbery Bureau at 905-453–2121, ext. 3410.
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