A day after Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner was robbed by his Range Rover with a gun in front of the Etobicoke movie theater, Toronto police said they had seen more car thefts so far this year than in 2021.
“It just seems like a crime of opportunity, and the end game is a win,” Insp. Richard Harris of the Detention Squad told reporters at the Toronto Police Headquarters on Tuesday. “So whether this is a new trend that is considered to be something that will make quick money, I will say and suggest that they stop. We will not stop. “
Harris said Toronto police have responded to 60 car thefts so far this year, with thieves usually targeting high-value vehicles. He said this compares to 59 car thefts throughout 2021.
He said the Marner incident also appeared to be a crime if possible.
Marner was in his Range Rover in the Islington Avenue and Queensway area around 7:45 p.m. Monday when he was abducted from the car.
Police said three suspects, two armed with pistols and another with a knife, approached a vehicle in the Cineplex Cinemas Queensway area.
The victims complied with the demands and then the suspects drove away.
No one was injured in the collision.
Police did not officially confirm that Marner was the victim of the accident, saying only that a man and a woman in their 20s had been robbed with weapons for their Land Rover.
However, a number of sources said CP24 Marner was brought in 22 hours after the incident to testify to investigators.
The Leafs also confirmed that the winger had been robbed.
“We can confirm that Mitch Marner was the unfortunate victim of a car theft in Etobico on Monday night,” a Leafs spokesman wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “He was unharmed in the incident and Club & Mitch are grateful for the support of the Toronto Police Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Toronto Police Department.”
Speaking to reporters, Harris said “every stone will be turned over” as police search for the perpetrators of this and other car thefts.
Toronto right wing Maple Leafs Mitch Marner speaks to reporters after cleaning the locker at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Thursday, April 25, 2019. CANADIAN PRESS / Christopher Katsarov
“We are working hard to establish all kinds of connections and dedicated investigators, believe me when I tell you, we are working hard on this and we continue to review all the evidence we have so far,” he said.
So far this year, Toronto police have made 20 arrests for car thefts, with many of these suspects believed to have been involved in numerous incidents.
Although Marner was not physically injured, Harris said other victims of car theft were and that they were all coping with the psychological consequences of being a victim, regardless of the physical injuries.
“I can tell you they have lasting, devastating effects,” Harris said.
Although it is unclear whether the criminals knew who Marner was, the armed robbery of one of Toronto’s most prominent citizens illustrates the growing willingness of criminals to use violence to steal high-end vehicles.
Around the same time that night, two days earlier, two suspected men tried to steal a woman in the same area, but failed.
Police officers chased the suspects on foot in the incident, but did not detain them.
It is not yet known whether the two incidents are related.
“We see an increase in car thefts when suspects are looking for high-end cars. There are so many different ways in which they happen, “Harris said, noting that there is often a level of sophistication in crime and that the goal is usually to sell vehicles for profit.
He advised everyone in such a situation to comply with the demands, instead of resisting and getting to a safe place as soon as possible to report the crime.
“Your safety costs more than the car,” he said.
Police are investigating an armed car theft near Islington Avenue and Queensway on Monday, May 16, 2022.
MAYOR TORI, MAPLE LEAVES RESPOND
Toronto Mayor John Torrey called the wave of car thefts in the city and the wider region a “plague.”
“This is a plague that is getting worse and not getting better and I don’t blame the police for that. “I think what we have here is highly organized criminal activity,” he said on Tuesday.
He said ordinary people come up with stories of violent car thefts.
“I had a story told by a North Toronto resident just last week when the kids were taken out of a car at gunpoint at night, and in this case, this is one of our hockey heroes. But this should not happen to anyone. “
He added that the police were aware of his concern and that numerous investigations into the violent incidents were under way.
“I talked about it with the police chief. They have made some very successful arrests in this area over the last few days, but they will have to continue to do so if they need resources to make sure they can reach those organized gangs that do such things (the city will be there). “
Teammate William Nylander said he believes the release of the film is not a situation in which one would expect the car to be stolen.
“I don’t really think you can do anything about it,” he said. “How do you know people will be waiting for you? Going to the movies this way may be the last place I would think someone would come. You have to be vigilant, but I don’t think you can do much if someone is chasing you like that. “
Marner and his teammates were knocked out of the NHL playoffs on Saturday night with a shocking 2-1 loss in Game 7 against Tampa Bay Lightning.
Speaking about the end of the team’s season, teammate Mark Giordano said he was glad to see Marner at a team meeting on Tuesday after his test.
“It’s a really scary situation, I’m glad to see him today and talk to him and see that everything is fine with him, but these are (things) that are never easy to deal with as a person,” he said. in front of reporters. – The situation is certainly terrible.
Marner did not speak to reporters after the team’s meeting on Tuesday.
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