Several Ontario police services have recovered more than 200 stolen vehicles in the GTA worth $17 million dollars in a joint investigation. Project Touchdown resulted in 51 arrests, 150 charges and the recovery of 215 vehicles.

York police Chief Jim MacSween says drugs and firearms were also seized.

“Many of the interactions our officers are having now are exposing more and more handguns out on the streets, and we should all be concerned about that and I can tell you 80% to 90% of the guns we’re able to trace in situations where the serial number is still intact, those guns are coming across the border,” said MacSween.

In York region along, vehicle thefts are up 44 % over last year, in part due to new tools and technologies.

York police collaborated on the investigation with police in Durham, Peel and Halton, along with the Canada Border Services Agency.