Halton Police Charge Man With Digital Tracking Device

 

 

Halton Regional Police have arrested a suspect in a series of thefts of luxury cars using digital tracking devices in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area. Darrell Dawns, a native of St. Jerome, Quebec, has been charged with 29 counts of vehicle theft, including attempted theft, for stealing or stealing 14 premium Toyota and Lexus vehicles.

Investigators said the suspect, who was previously on bail for similar crimes, was continuing his thefts in the same manner.

The investigation began last April when an Oakville resident found an unfamiliar ‘Acuteg’ tracking device in his vehicle and reported it to police. The suspect primarily targeted expensive vehicles parked in busy public areas such as shopping malls and hotel parking lots.

The suspect would stick these GPS or Bluetooth trackers behind the license plate, inside the side mirror, in the wheel wells or on the bumpers, out of the way of drivers. He would then track the vehicle’s movements via a mobile app and steal the vehicle while it was parked in a secluded area with no security cameras or witnesses.
Halton Police warned the public to be vigilant as large criminal gangs are using such technology.

Police urged people to make it a habit to check their vehicles before taking them out of parking areas and to report any unfamiliar tracking devices to police immediately without removing them. Police added that the digital evidence and fingerprints contained in the devices can help identify criminals quickly, so they should not try to remove them themselves. The investigation into this case is still ongoing.