York Regional Police will join police services across Ontario on the newly created Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force (PCJTF) to tackle rising incidents of violence related to auto crimes.
"Whether it be a carjacking, a home invasion, an assault, or another form of intimidation, the level of violence being used in the commission of these offences represents a new and evolving threat to public safety," said an OPP news release.
The purpose of the PCJTF is to disrupt the networks responsible for high-risk auto thefts, which increasingly involve violence, firearms and other weapons. Members of the task force will work collaboratively to maximize enforcement efforts against criminal organizations involved in violent vehicle crimes operating within the GTA.
Co-led by Toronto Police Services and the OPP, the task force is a collaboration between police services from across the GTA, including York Regional Police, Halton Regional Police Service, Durham Regional Police Service, Peel Regional Police and other external agencies, including Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario.
"Carjackings are a serious public safety issue, which has resulted in assault and even homicides," says OPP Chief Supt. Paul Mackey. "To evade police, thieves may drive dangerously and recklessly, putting the lives of pedestrians, other motorists, and police in danger. The OPP and partners will investigate and hold anyone who is involved in violent auto theft accountable, through a collaborative and intelligence-led approach."
The PCJTF will be notified of violent auto crime occurrences taking place in each jurisdiction, which will then be investigated collaboratively.
The incidents of violence related to auto crimes in Ontario have increased over the last several years. There have been more than 300 carjackings in the GTA in 2023, with over 200 of those occurring in Toronto.
Thieves are stealing vehicles, and then using those vehicles to carry out other crimes, or are shipping them overseas, where they are resold. Alternatively, vehicle identification numbers (VINs) are altered and the vehicles are sold domestically.
