A 29-year-old man has been apprehended in connection with the theft of catalytic converters from a charitable organization in Etobicoke.
According to Toronto police, the incident occurred when the suspect or suspects entered the Second Harvest facility by cutting through a fence around 12:15 a.m. on October 11. Surveillance footage captured two individuals removing multiple catalytic converters from trucks in the parking lot before fleeing in the same vehicle they arrived in.
Corey Peter Lane, 29, was taken into custody following a search warrant at a residence in Oakville. Investigators believe he is linked to other catalytic converter thefts in the area, including incidents on September 13 and October 11.
The stolen converters caused damage to several vehicles during the thefts. Lane is now facing charges including break and enter, and failing to comply with release and probation orders.
While authorities are seeking additional suspects, Acting Superintendent Jeff Bangild stated that the crimes were likely opportunistic rather than targeted at Second Harvest specifically.
The theft significantly affected Second Harvest’s operations, leaving half of their delivery fleet unusable during Thanksgiving and potentially leading to substantial repair costs.
Bangild expressed relief that an arrest had been made, emphasizing the importance of restoring trust in the affected organization and community. Second Harvest staff are hopeful for the recovery of the stolen items as the investigation progresses.
Keyphrase: catalytic converter thefts
