Police recover 29 stolen vehicles in shipping containers at B.C. ports

Two men from Metro Vancouver are facing more than a dozen charges each after police recovered 29 stolen vehicles found in shipping containers at British Columbia ports.

Investigators say the vehicles, which included Range Rovers and newer-model pickup trucks, were stolen from across the Lower Mainland region in recent months, using what police described as sophisticated technology.

Court records show 29-year-old Mohaned Wael Ozor and 20-year-old Omar Wael Ozor are each facing 14 charges related to auto theft, possession and trafficking of stolen property.

The two men were arrested in Surrey, B.C., on May 22 with the assistance of an emergency response team. The suspects are scheduled to appear in Surrey provincial court on June 17.

Police estimate the combined value of the stolen vehicles at $2.5 million.

“New vehicle owners sometimes assume that built-in, anti-theft mechanisms and new technology means their vehicle is less likely to be stolen,” Eugene Lum, the acting officer in charge of the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team, said in a news release.

“The reality is criminals can use technology to find and exploit weaknesses of specific, newer vehicles and steal them without a key fob.”

The investigation into the auto thefts began in February and involved officers from Vancouver, Delta, Langley and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Authorities are encouraging vehicle owners to physically check to ensure their vehicles are locked even after locking with a key fob, and to install after-market anti-theft devices such as a steering wheel lock, GPS tracker or vehicle immobilizer.