A Burlington resident was among eight suspects arrested in what the Hamilton Police is calling ‘Project Polar Bear’.
This was a year-long investigation into an auto theft ring operating in Hamilton and Southern Ontario. The organized criminal activity targeted high-end vehicles, distributing the stolen cars both nationally and internationally. At night, crews would steal vehicles and load them into shipping containers. Most were shipped to Montreal and destined for Ghana, Iraq, or the United Arab Emirates. Nationally, the vehicles were re-vinned and circulated back into the domestic market. The investigation is ongoing regarding the buyers’ culpability in acquiring those vehicles.
Over the course of the investigation, police were able to recover nearly 88% of the stolen vehicles and return them to their owners. Over 200 vehicles were recovered, which were valued at roughly $15 million.
Watch a video of a theft provided by the Hamilton police here.
From Friday, February 14th to Tuesday, February 18th, Hamilton Police seized an additional 14 vehicles and executed nine search warrants to private residences and businesses. Throughout the project, in addition to the vehicles seized, police recovered half a kilogram of cocaine, several kilograms of psilocibyn, two loaded handguns, $35,000 in proceeds of crime, as well as several devices designed to steal key fob signals, reprogram car key fobs, and alter vehicle identification numbers.
Hamilton Police have charged the following individuals:
An unnamed 25 years Hamilton female
- Possession for the purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
- Possess Counterfit Money
26-year-old Bashdar Kader of Hamilton
- Conspiracy to Traffic Motor Vehicles
- Conspiracy to Steal Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Vehicle Theft
- Attempt Vehicle Theft
- Possess Electronic Device for Purpose of Committing Motor Vehicle Theft
- Fail to Comply with Release Order x2
34-year-old Didar Kader of Hamilton
- Conspiracy to Traffic Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Psilocybin
- Proceeds of Crime Over $5000
19-year-old Faris Al-Hakim of Burlington
- Conspiracy to Steal Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Vehicle Theft
- Attempt Vehicle Theft
- Possession of Electronic Device for Purpose of Committing Motor Vehicle Theft
- Fail to Comply with Release Order x1
26-year-old Dhergham Al-Hilo of Hamilton
- Conspiracy To Traffic Motor Vehicles
- Conspiracy to Steal Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Vehicle Theft
- Attempt Vehicle Theft
- Possession of Electronic Device for the Purpose of Committing Motor Vehicle Theft
- Possession of Loaded Prohibited Firearm
- Possession for the purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
43-year-old Hawker Manmi of Niagara Falls
- Conspiracy to Traffic Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Attempt – Export Property Obtained by Crime
26-year-old Hasanin Mosa of Haldimand
- Conspiracy To Traffic Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Loaded Prohibited Firearm
- Possession of Firearm with Altered, Defaced, or Removed Serial Number
19-year-old Hasan Sulaiman (WANTED) of Hamilton
- Conspiracy to Traffic Motor Vehicles
- Conspiracy to Steal Motor Vehicles
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property for the Purpose of Trafficking Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (Motor Vehicles)
- Vehicle Theft
- Attempt Vehicle Theft
- Possess Electronic Device for the Purpose of Committing Motor Vehicle Theft
Roughly half of the vehicles recovered were stolen from Hamilton, while the rest of the vehicles were taken from across the GTA. Although the criminal network was active in Hamilton, the group operated beyond the city.
Project Polar Bear investigators are collaborating closely with the Provincial Asset Forfeiture unit on all property seized and investigated during the project, as well as working with the Major Auto Theft Prosecution Response Team from the Ministry of the Attorney General.
Hamilton Police thanked the Halton Regional Police Service, Niagara Regional Police Service, OPP, and Waterloo Regional Police for their assistance during the project.
The investigation is ongoing, and further charges may be pending. If you have any information that you believe could assist Police with the investigation into this crime, you are asked to contact Detective Emerson Heaslip at eheaslip@hamiltonpolice.ca.
To provide information anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online.
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