Four men charged in thefts from vehicles

Four men charged in thefts from vehicles. Toronto police 54 Division Det. Const. Andrew Haynes, left and Det. Const. Dave Forbes display recovered items Wednesday at the division after police recently broke a theft from autos ring. Four people are facing charges. Staff photo/ANDREW PALAMARCHUK

The incidents occurred at 1 Deauville Lane Thursday, Jan. 26 and at 5 Dufresne Ct. Saturday, Jan. 28.

Police allege that citizens caught one suspect in the act and held him for police.

On Saturday, police executed search warrants on one vehicle and two homes and seized about 200 stolen items.

At a news conference at 54 Division Wednesday, police displayed the stolen property, which includes 60 GPS units, tools, wallets, passports, phones, stereo equipment, sunglasses and computers.

"Most of these items were stolen by way of breaking the windows of the vehicles," Det. Const. Dave Forbes said.

Police also recovered a mass kit, which was owned by a Catholic priest and was stolen in 2007.

Some of the stolen items have been linked to thefts in other parts of the city, including north Scarborough.

"This property, some of which is up to five years old, is now in the process of being reunited with its owners," said Forbes, noting officers still don't know where some of the property "came from or who it belongs to."

Forbes, of the 54 Division major crime unit, said he's shocked that wallets containing ID were seized during the execution of the search warrants. "These items are normally not held onto. They're of no monetary value and something that can link you to entries."

Police didn't release the names of the accused, who face charges, including theft, mischief and possessing property obtained by crime.

"Some have already been in court and, in fact, have been released on bails with some strict conditions," Forbes said.

Forbes said police have surveillance video from 1 Deauville Lane "in which the suspects are visible."