About 70 members of law enforcement from federal, provincial and municipal agencies spanning from the Greater Toronto Area across Eastern Ontario and Quebec attended the recent East Region Auto Theft Conference in Cornwall.
Hosted by the Cornwall Police Service (CPS), in partnership with Équité Association, the meeting at the DEV Hotel & Conference Centre was focused on prevention and cooperation.
“Auto theft remains a serious challenge for communities across Canada, and conferences like this provide an opportunity to share best practices to combat and ultimately stop it from occurring,” said Mayor Justin Towndale.
Équité Association, a not-for-profit working to eradicate insurance crime on behalf of the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry, has partnered with the CPS to support its fight against auto theft. “This multi-agency training session in Cornwall highlighted the importance of collaboration among law enforcement,” said Betty Ng, Director of Investigative Services Ontario with Équité Association. “Équité is dedicated to providing vehicle examination, identification training, and stolen vehicle recovery support.”
In December, the CPS launched Project “Wheels Up,”, which was created to help prevent, disrupt and suppress organized motor vehicle theft organizations. The CPS provided targeted car dealerships in Cornwall with Faraday pouches, which help prevent key fobs from being remotely accessed.
The CPS now has an auto theft investigator, who is dedicated to automotive theft investigations, which allows for greater response to occurrences of auto theft and enhanced investigative procedures. Responding to data driven information, this officer is able coordinate a response to these occurrences resulting in an increase in arrests and vehicle recovery. The CPS is also a key placeholder in the Eastern Ontario Auto Theft Prevention Task Force.
“The CPS is actively addressing the prevalence of auto thefts in our community through various initiatives and partnerships,” said S/Sgt. Tracey Pilon, who co-organized the conference with D/Cst. Owen O’Reilly. “It is through active engagement and collaboration with our partnering law enforcement agencies, in a coordinated manner toward the common goal of fighting organized crime, that keeps our community safe.”
The meeting was a tremendous opportunity for officers to engage, network and learn about auto theft trends and investigative resources available to them.
Équité Association presenters included Mike Keizerwaard, an auto theft investigator and expert vehicle examiner, recognized as an expert witness in vehicle identification. Keizerwaard retired in 2017 after more than 30 years of service with York Regional Police. With Équité, he supports member insurance companies and law enforcement in tackling organized auto theft and re-vinned vehicles.
Steve Gardner, auto theft investigator and expert vehicle examiner, a seasoned professional with more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and organized crime investigation, shared his wealth of knowledge he acquired in his 31 years with the Ottawa Police Service, where he notably led the Organized Auto Theft Squad for 12 years.
Also presenting was Steve Coombs, a technical surveillance expert with 23 years of service at York Regional Police. He specializes in surveillance and technology.
“Cornwall’s proactive approach to addressing auto theft is commendable, particularly given its strategic location as a gateway to the Port of Montreal,” said Ng. “Together, we can disrupt organized crime and protect our communities.”
