Men charged in $2.1M Toronto auto theft case worked at car dealership: police
The authorities have laid over 100 charges and have recovered more than 100 stolen vehicles, marking significant progress in tackling auto theft in the region.
Two men are facing over 150 combined charges related to an extensive $2.1 million auto theft operation linked to a Toronto car dealership.
The operation, known as Project Warden, was launched in August 2024 after investigators discovered that the two men, employed at the dealership, were allegedly using their positions to acquire and sell stolen vehicles to unsuspecting customers.
The accused, 35-year-old Harris Bocknek from Barrie and 32-year-old Fadi Zeto from Mississauga, are alleged to have purchased stolen cars from numbered companies—some of which were owned by them.
They would then create fraudulent sales agreements using altered Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and falsify Carfax reports to make the vehicles appear legitimate.
Many buyers later discovered that the cars they purchased had mismatched VINs, and in some cases, the cars were falsely registered to individuals not listed on the sales documents.
The two men are connected to at least 22 fraudulent car sales and may be linked to a broader auto theft ring uncovered in June 2024, which involved a ServiceOntario employee falsifying documents to make stolen vehicles appear legitimate.
Following the execution of search warrants on residences and commercial garages, investigators recovered two "re-vinned" cars.
The authorities have laid over 100 charges and have recovered more than 100 stolen vehicles, marking significant progress in tackling auto theft in the region.
Bocknek and Zeto face charges including forgery, fraud over $5,000, and trafficking stolen property. Zeto appeared in court on October 22, 2024, while Bocknek is scheduled to appear on December 17, 2024. Toronto Police are urging potential victims who bought vehicles from Zeto to come forward and contact 53 Division at 416-808-5306.
