Peel Regional Police have arrested three men in connection with an auto-theft investigation in Mississauga.
Officers say they responded to two separate incidents between April 27-28 involving two Honda CRVs that were reported stolen.
On Wednesday, one of the vehicles was located at an auto repair shop in Brampton, near Hale Road and Bramsteele Road. Police arrested three people at the scene for several auto-related offences.
Later that day, police executed a search warrant on the property where they seized evidence and recovered additional vehicles valued at $100,000.
“Evidence of tampering with vehicle identification numbers and re-vinning was located,” investigators wrote in a press release issued Friday. “Police recovered registration documents, stolen license plates, key fobs and seized an animal in need of protection who was given to the care of Brampton Animal Services.”
“Based on the investigation, the auto body repair facility has allegedly been involved in staged collisions resulting in information sharing with automobile insurance companies,” investigators added.
Police have identified the suspects as 20-year-old Shan Nouri of Mississauga, 23-year-old Syed Ahmed Shah from Toronto and 21-year-old Enias Marunza of Mississauga.
All three men were charged with five offences, including four counts of possession of property obtained by crime, possession of break-in instruments, possessing automobile master keys, tampering with vehicle identification numbers and selling or possessing counterfeit marks.
They were held in custody pending a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
Investigators encourage anyone with information to contact police.
