Toronto Police Charge 7 People After 28 Luxury Cars Were Stolen Across The GTA (VIDEO)

Toronto Police have arrested seven individuals and recovered 19 stolen vehicles after an eight-month-long investigation into an auto-theft ring in the GTA.

In a press conference on February 1, Staff Superintendent Lauren Pogue of Detective Operations, Inspector Richard Harris from the TPS Hold Up Squad and Inspector Shannon Dawson of the 32 Division revealed the results of Project Taurus.

"These incidents, where the suspects targeted high-end vehicles, primarily took place in the city of Toronto, but more specifically along the Yonge Street corridor between Sheppard Avenue and Finch Avenue in Toronto," Harris said.

A total of 28 luxury vehicles were stolen, which include Lamborghinis, McLarens, Rolls Royce, Bentleys, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz cars. So far, 19 cars have been recovered.

"The crew would utilize various techniques during the commission of these robberies including distraction methods, such as intentional vehicle contact with unsuspecting victims. And on occasion, the suspects would also swarm unsuspecting victims as they exited or entered their vehicles," Harris said.

Project Taurus - security footage - Toronto Police Arrest Five in Carjacking Investigation www.youtube.com

In a news release posted shortly after the press conference, TPS detailed one of the carjackings that happened on January 7 in the early morning hours at 2:30 a.m.

A Lamborghini driver parked in the area of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue was allegedly approached by three men in another vehicle.

Two men got out of their car and approached the victim with a knife and demanded that the victim hand over his keys and cell phone, which the victim did. They then drove off in the Lamborghini with the third suspect following behind in the vehicle they came in.

One of the men who noticed the cops in the area then, allegedly, ditched the Lambo by Jane Street and Weston Road, and fled in the suspect vehicle headed toward Mississauga at an address in the Anson Drive and Torbram Road area.

Four people have been arrested in connection to that specific car theft, and three other people have also been arrested under Project Taurus.

One man, Tre Seaton, is still at large as part of this investigation and has a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest. Seaton is wanted for robbery with a firearm and for disguise with intent.

Project Taurus also seized two knives, two replica firearms, and $40,000 in cash.

Car thefts in Toronto and across the province have been on the rise lately. On average, a car is stolen every 48 minutes in Ontario, and in 2021 alone, an eyewatering 10,900 car theft claims were reported by insurers.

Recently, officers from a number of forces across the GTA recovered over 200 stolen vehicles.