High-end auto thefts rise

Police say young Six Nations kids part of sophisticated ring

Paul Morse
The Hamilton Spectator

(Dec 29, 2008)

Hamilton police say they are seeing an increasing level of organizational sophistication in the number of stolen high-end vehicles turning up on the Six Nations Reserve near Caledonia.

Officers say they have intelligence that shows young people, including native youth, are being enticed into stealing certain vehicles for their expensive wheels and chrome add-ons.

"These kids, as young as 15 or 16, are paid $1,000 to $4,000 to deliver the vehicle for its after-market upgrades," said Hamilton police Superintendent Ken Bond.

The number of stolen vehicles found on the 18,000-hectare reserve is disturbing, he said.

Last year, 558 stolen vehicles were recovered on Six Nations. This year so far, it has jumped to 718.

"This is a very disturbing trend that makes it very hard for us to counteract."

The fact that someone is teaching these kids how to steal these vehicles in under 30 seconds shows a level of organization, he said.

And when they steal them, they have no regard for driving safely, Bond said.

One stolen bait car showed speeds of up to to 150 kilometres an hour before it was safely shut down.

Hamilton police have been trying unsuccessfully to raise interest in a multi-agency crackdown on the growing problem.

"We're having to do this on our own," Bond said.

"I've been asking for help and we're doing the best we can with the resources we have."

OPP Staff Sergeant Steve Boyd said his multi-agency Provincial Auto Theft Team (PATT) has reshifted focus from a recent southwestern Ontario auto theft initiative.

"We continually do projects down there ... including Project REACT, which targeted auto thieves in the Niagara, Hamilton, Waterloo and Brantford areas.

"It's all been GM truck and SUV-based," he said. "The majority was based on thieves moving in and out of that Brantford-Six Nations area."

He said the PATT team does its best to service all its municipal members.

"We take input ... whatever project focuses the greatest threat to the province or municipal member, then we deal with it."

Boyd said Hamilton recently raised the growing problem and asked the team for more emphasis on the area.

Last year, a 15-year-old Six Nations boy died after a stolen GMC Hummer crashed in Thorold.

The incident is connected to a stolen Chevrolet Avalanche that rammed a Niagara police cruiser, injuring the officer, as it tried to get away.

"To have complete disregard for an officer's or the public's safety is disturbing on many levels," Bond said.