7 people charged after investigation into high-end vehicle carjackings in Toronto, York Region

Police say a sophisticated group of individuals allegedly carjacked 28 high end cars north of Toronto before trying to ship them to destinations overseas.

Toronto Police Insp. Richard Harris said an eight-month investigation revealed that the suspects used handguns, knives and a Taser, and in some cases distraction methods such as intentional vehicle contact, during the robberies in Toronto and York Region.

He said the stolen cars — including Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Porsche and Mercedes Benz models — were sent to a location east of Toronto before starting a journey overseas.

Police released security camera video of some of these incidents Tuesday morning:

Toronto police say they recovered 19 of 28 hijacked cars with the help of the Canada Border Services Agency and GPS technology.

They say two of the recovered vehicles were found off the coast of Italy and Malta, three of them were found at a port in Montreal and one in a Halifax port — those vehicles were destined for the United Arab Emirates.

Police say seven suspects have been arrested and charged with several counts of robbery, disguise with intent, and possession of property obtained by crime.

CBC