The Halton Regional Police has made multiple arrests in relation to the investigation into cars stolen from the Ford plant in Oakville, Ontario. Vehicles estimated at over $600,000 disappeared from the factory overnight, on January 7 to 8.
Thieves broke into the plant located at 1 Canadian Road by cutting a large hole in the exterior fence that surrounds the property. They walked in and drove off with 14 brand-new Ford Edge units, which Ford Motor Company says are estimated at approximately $630,000.
The Halton Regional Police, in collaboration with the neighboring police services, located the stolen cars at various locations in the Greater Toronto Area. 12 of the 14 were recovered, with two of them still missing.
The police have made five arrests in relation to the theft. On January 9, Tom Thibault-Levesque, 35, and Barbare Veronica Rachwal, 36, were arrested in Mississauga. They were charged with possession of property obtained by crime of over $5,000 and possession for the purpose of trafficking. Thibault-Levesque was also in possession of a prohibited weapon. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing, while Rachwal was released on an Undertaking.
A day later, the police officers arrested James Park, 34, and Kamorey Mitchell, 33, in Scarborough. The fifth person arrested in relation to the car theft investigation was Joseph Wells, 42, on January 17. Facing 54 charges, Wells is allegedly a member of the Iron Dragons Motorcycle Club.
The investigation is still underway, and police expect to make further arrests. They also ask people who have information regarding the investigation to contact the District Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Photo: Ford
Ford's Oakville Plant spans 487 acres. The production center is one of the carmakers oldest, as it has been operating since 1953. Following an investment of $1 billion, Ford converted the former van plant into one manufacturing CUVs (crossover utility vehicles) in 2006.
Seven years later, Ford announced the investment of 700 million Canadian dollars (approximately US$518 million) to convert the plant into a global product manufacturing site.
In the past, models such as the Mercury Comet (1962 - 1967), Ford Escort (1981 - 1990), and Lincoln Nautilus (2019 - 2023) rolled off the production lines in Oakville. That is where the carmaker is currently building the Edge crossover, which starts at $38,465 on the American market. That is the price for the entry-level version, powered by a twin-scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission in an all-wheel drive setup.
But that is set to change. The facility will again go through a transformation based on an investment of 500 million Canadian dollars (US$370 million) offered by the Government of Canada and the province of Ontario. The Oakville plant will produce electric vehicles and assemble batteries for EVs starting in 2025.
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