Stolen Mercedes and backhoe turn up in eastern Ontario
Posted Mar 28, 2025 07:33:00 AM.
Last Updated Mar 27, 2025 05:00:54 PM.
Provincial police recovered a stolen vehicle that was believed to have been taken from the Greater Toronto Area and a construction vehicle from eastern Ontario.
On March 27, officers found a Mercedes and a backhoe in Limoges, a small town near Calypso Waterpark outside the nation’s capital. Police executed a search warrant at a location on Limoges Road where the two vehicles were found.
The Mercedes is believed to have been from Ajax, Ont. and the backhoe from South Dundas Township, Ont. The combined value of the vehicles is almost $100,000.
As a result, police charged Samuel Kyakuwa, 50, of Ottawa, with two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
The accused was released from custody and has a hearing on April 30.
The OPP East Region Community Street Crime Unit has recovered two stolen vehicles in Limoges.
— OPP East Region (@OPP_ER) March 27, 2025
An investigation resulted in a search warrant being executed on Wednesday, March 26th at a location on Limoges Road. Street Crime officers and members of the Russell County Detachment… pic.twitter.com/VQrYjRYUBQ
Most stolen vehicles in Canada
The Highlander topped Équité Association’s annual list of Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada for 2023, knocking off the Honda CR-V, which held the dubious distinction for the previous two straight years.
According to Équité Association, which bills itself as Canada’s national authority on insurance crime and fraud prevention, the Highlander was stolen a chart-topping 3,414 times. The 2021 model of the SUV was the most frequently targeted.
Between 2021-2023, auto theft increased 48.2 per cent in Ontario, 57.9 per cent in Quebec, 34 per cent in Atlantic Canada, and 5.5 per cent in Alberta (Équité Association’s 2023 Auto Theft Trend Report).
