20 arrested in wintertime break-ins linked to organized crime in GTA, police say

Police have arrested 20 people for a series of break-and-enters in York Region and around the Greater Toronto Area, involving groups they say came into the country with the sole intention of committing crimes. 

Organized crime groups from Latin America and eastern Europe enter Canada shortly after Daylight Savings Time ends in the fall and return home in the spring, York Regional Police Det.-Sgt Patrick Smyth said during a news conference Thursday. 

The groups choose that timing because it tends to be darker and colder, meaning people are typically not out in their front yards, making it easier to go undetected, Smyth said. 

"Every single one of these individuals arrived in York Region from outside the borders of Canada, and we believe their sole purpose for coming here was to commit crime for profit," York Regional Police Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida said on Thursday. 

The accused took items of monetary and sentimental value, he said, including jewellery, handbags, electronics, clothing and cash. 

"Many of these items are irreplaceable," Almeida said. 

Police say they investigated 47 break and enters that happened from October 2024 to last month, police said in a news release Thursday. The accused face a total of 235 charges. 

A warrant has been issued for an additional person who has fled Canada, police said. 

More than $2 million in property was stolen in the break-and-enters, according to the news release. Over the course of the investigation, tens of thousands of dollars in stolen items have been returned to their owners, Almeida said.

Police have released images of dozens of unclaimed recovered items. Anyone who was a victim of a break-and-enter between October 2024 to last month is asked to review the photos and contact police if any items are theirs. The photos can be found on the York Regional Police website. 

6 separate organized crime rings involved: police

Almeida said that break-and-enters are often incorrectly considered victimless crimes. 

People who have their residences broken into feel "violated, shattered [and] shaken," he said. 

"In many cases, [they're] walking into homes that have been ransacked, windows smashed, doors kicked. Priceless, sentimental items gone," he said. 

Generally, people who commit break-and-enters are not looking to be confronted, Smyth said. Instead, they conduct surveillance before entering a residence to make sure no one is home. 

"They'll wait and they'll watch," Smyth said. "If they are discovered, they'll run away." 

Smyth described the break-ins as a pattern that happens during the same months every year. 

He said stolen items are often sold in local pawn shops or on websites such as Kijiji or Craigslist. People also often package stolen jewellery and send them back to their home country, he said. 

Six separate organized crime groups were involved in the break-ins, according to the news release.

Police say they are working with the Canadian Border Services Agency to determine how the accused came into Canada, Smyth said.

Crime groups used signal jammers, signal detectors

During Tuesday's conference, police displayed standard kits used by theorganized crime groups, which often include pry bars and flashlights. 

Some groups had signal jammers, which can block signals for cellphones and wireless cameras, including home security cameras, Smyth said. Others used signal detectors, which can identify which residences may have wireless security cameras. 

Police also found a firearm in one of the accused's residences, but Smyth said it's uncommon to see firearms used in break-and-enters. 

Residents can take steps to try to protect themselves, including by installing security cameras, Almeida said. 

They can consider using timed interior and exterior lights to make it look like someone is inside the residence when they're not home. Cutting back trees and shrubs that hide the entrance to a home is another tip, he said. 

It's also advisable to get to know your neighbours, Almeida said. 

"When you know whose coming and going within your community, you have a much better chance of being able to detect when suspicious behaviour is ongoing," he said. 

Police say the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.