Over a dozen vehicles recovered in Cambridge ‘chop shop’ investigation
Posted May 8, 2026 03:46:56 PM.
Last Updated May 8, 2026 03:57:08 PM.
Regional police found 18 stolen vehicles in pieces and charged two men in relation to the “chop shop” operation.
It began in March, when the break-and-enter, auto theft, and robbery unit started looking into an illicit vehicle salvage business on Eagle Street in Cambridge. According to the press release, officials executed a search warrant at the building in Cambridge and a home in Kitchener.
In total, they recovered more than a dozen stolen vehicles that were stripped for parts, officers said.
As a result, the men, a 51-year-old and a 19-year-old, both from Kitchener, are facing charges of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, trafficking in stolen goods over $5,000, and fraud over $5,000.
The accused are being held by police until a bail hearing.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact Waterloo Regional Police Service.
Top stolen vehicles in Ontario
The latest data provided by Équité Association shows that of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Ontario, half are SUVs.
At the top of the list sits the Honda CR-V. The SUV is a high-theft vehicle as it often took the top spot in previous years. This year, the 2024 model was the most popular model for car thieves.
As for Canada as a whole, the Toyota RAV4 is the top stolen vehicle in 2024, with 2,080 thefts last year, according to Équité.
“Newer model SUVs, particularly those with keyless security vulnerabilities, remain prime targets for sophisticated criminal networks nationally,” Équité said in a media release.
