Durham police have issued an arrest warrant for a Romanian man accused of using fraudulent documents to purchase a new vehicle from a Pickering dealership before fleeing the country — a case that mirrors another investigation from this week involving a similar scheme and another Romanian suspect.
Investigators say the most recent incident dates to February 2025, when the suspect visited a Pickering dealership and used fraudulent identification to secure a 2025 Hyundai Elantra.
According to police, the man made no payments on the vehicle, which was later confirmed to have been exported to the Netherlands. The dealership contacted authorities months later, prompting an investigation that began in July 2025.
Police say the suspect fled Canada within a week of obtaining the vehicle.
The wanted man has been identified as Ovidiu‑Ionut Dumitru, 36, of Romania. He is wanted on charges of fraud over $5,000, making false statements to procure credit and disposal of property to avoid creditors.
Similarities to another Pickering dealership fraud case
The case bears a resemblance to another investigation made public Thursday, in which Durham police issued a Canada‑wide warrant for Ionut Gheorghe, a 26‑year‑old Romanian man accused of using fake documents to purchase a 2024 Hyundai Palisade SUV from a Pickering dealership before fleeing the country.
In that case, the vehicle was traced to an export company but has not been recovered.
Durham police are urging anyone with information about the whereabouts of either accused to contact them.
