ONTARIO-Two Stirling Ontario residents are facing charges after the OPP executed a search warrant on May 14th.
The OPP Lambton County Crime Unit received a complaint in late 2023 regarding stolen vehicles, with a combined value of approximately $3 million. As a result of the investigation, on May 14, 2024, a search warrant was executed in Stirling in collaboration with the OPP Fleet, Supply and Weapons Services Bureau, Central Hastings OPP Crime Unit and Emergency Response Team, and with assistance from the OPP-led Provincial Auto Theft and Towing (PATT) Team and the OPP-led Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit (PAFU).
The investigative team says officers located several of the stolen vehicles, including some classic cars. Police also seized 16 vehicles from the accused as proceeds of crime. Two people were arrested and charged with offences contrary to the Criminal Code.
54-year-old Robert Bradshaw has been charged with:
- Theft of motor vehicles over $5,000
- Fraud over $5,000
- Use forged documents
- Conspiracy to commit and indictable offence
Gary LeBlanc, age 55 has been charged with:
- Theft of motor vehicles over $5,000
- Fraud over $5,000
- Use forged documents
- Conspiracy to commit and indictable offence
- Uttering Threats
The accused have been released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on a later date.
Every 14 minutes, a vehicle is stolen in Ontario, with Toronto experiencing a 78 per cent increase in violent carjackings since 2021. The federal mandatory minimum prison sentence for a third auto theft offence is six months.
The Ontario government recently introduced legislation that, if passed, would suspend driver’s licences for people convicted of the crime. With auto thefts and carjackings on the rise across the province, officials say the legislation would help deter potential thieves and make it more challenging for criminals to re-offend. “Car theft is a cowardly and often violent crime that can traumatize victims and communities who experience it,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is sending a clear message to those who commit these crimes and using every tool in our toolbox to keep them off our streets
Under the proposed legislation, thieves convicted of motor vehicle theft under the Criminal Code would face a 10-year licence suspension for a first offence, a 15-year licence suspension for a second offence and a lifetime licence suspension for a third offence. Licence suspensions would apply to convictions where the court found that aggravating factors were involved in the commission of the offence, such as violence, use of a weapon, use of force, threat, or pursuit of financial gain.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the OPP’s non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122 or 9-1-1 in an emergency. Alternatively, you can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
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