a huge amount of classic cars was discovered by police in Ontario, Canada, after a months-long investigation into a spate of thefts north of the border. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has been reinstated Classics worth $3 millionincluding old Corvettes and Ford trucks, and arrested two people in connection with the capture.
A collection of 16 cars including MK1 corvettesEarlier this month, a Ford F-1 pickup and several Ford coupes were discovered by police in Stirling, Ontario. reports Road & Track. Two people have been arrested in connection with the bust, with Robert Bradshaw, 54, and Gary Leblanc, 55, now facing charges of motor vehicle theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000, use of forged documents and conspiracy to to commit a crime.
An investigation into the couple was launched in 2023. reports Global News. The investigation arose after complaints were received by the police about theft of cars vehicles that may increase as much as $3 million. As the site explains:
OPP say their extensive investigation led to the execution of a search warrant on May 14 at an address in Stirling, a rural community 25 kilometers north of Belleville and about 450 kilometers east of Lambton County.
Investigators found several of the reported stolen vehicles, including some classic cars. Police also seized 16 vehicles from the two suspects as proceeds of crime.
The pair are now facing a slew of convictions, with Leblanc also facing an additional charge of making threats, according to Global News. After being sued by officers in CanadaThe pair were released and are now due to appear in court later this year.
The investigation into the full extent of Bradshaw and Leblanc’s crimes continues, with teams from Ontario’s emergency response units, crime units and auto theft units all involved in the operation.
Importantly, the cars seized by authorities do not appear to have been damaged by the ordeal, so hopefully they can soon be returned to their rightful owners so they can get back on the road.
