Officers in Toronto have arrested four people, including a 16-year-old boy, after police allege they were found planning to steal a vehicle from Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s driveway early Tuesday morning.
Around 12:30 a.m., police said officers saw people in a vehicle wearing masks and slowing down as it approached a driveway in the area of Lawrence Avenue West and Royal York Road, the area where Ford lives.
A spokesperson for Toronto police confirmed that the incident was believed to be targeting Ford’s home address.
Police said they initiated a vehicle stop and one of the suspects got out of the car to run. Inside the car, they said they found a key reprogramming device and a programmable master key.
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Police said suspects were arrested in the vehicle, and another was caught soon after. Two were 23-year-old men from Toronto, another was 17, and the fourth was a 16-year-old, according to police.
All were charged with auto theft-related offences. Each faces a charge of possessing an electronic device for motor vehicle theft and unlawfully possessing an automobile master key, while one was also charged with failure to comply with an undertaking and resisting arrest.
Ford raised the story unprompted at an unrelated news event on Tuesday, describing a high-octane chase as the suspects came “racing” down the street.
“You want to hear about stupid criminals?” Ford said. “So four thugs come racing down my street, masks on, ready to take the car out of the driveway. Surprise, surprise, at 12:30, the two police cars are there, the chase is on.”
Ford said the interaction reinforced his view that Ontario is “turning into a lawless society” and the justice system needs to be reformed with harsher sentences for auto thefts and carjackings.
The premier is provided protection by the OPP, with Toronto police officers also stationed at his address.
“Just imagine all the unfortunate people that don’t have security at their house,” he said.
“That’s my rant, I’m sick and tired of the weak justice system that we have. They have to get a backbone, and we need to start throwing these people in jail.”
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