The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has made an arrest and laid 29 charges following a five month auto theft investigation.

In April this year  an investigation into an attempted auto theft began after an Oakville resident contacted police following their discovery of an Accutag tracking device affixed to their vehicle.

Members of the 2 District Criminal Investigation Bureau took carriage of the investigation. Utilizing various investigative techniques, including the completion of multiple judicial authorizations Darryl Davance (alias of Joey Tremblay) was identified as being responsible for 14 thefts and attempt thefts of high end Lexus and Toyota vehicles across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) including Halton Region, all occurring between March and August of 2026. 

As a result of the investigation, on August 18, 2026, Darryl Davance (25), of Saint Jerome Quebec was arrested and charged with the  offences including theft of Motor Vehicle (14 Counts, fail to Comply Being on a Release Order (14 Counts), mischief - Over $5000

Davance has been held in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton.

Of note, Davance was subject to prior forms of release for similar offences at the time of his arrest.

Investigators believe the accused to be responsible for several additional GTHA auto thefts and the investigation is ongoing.

During the course of the Investigation it was discovered that tracking devices had been affixed to multiple vehicles prior to their thefts and investigators would like to alert the public to this criminal tactic. The attached video demonstrates how quickly this can occur HERE

How the Tactic Works

Car thieves frequent busy public areas like shopping malls or hotel parking lots. Once they spot a target vehicle, they discreetly hide a small GPS or Bluetooth tracking device in a hard-to-see spot.

Common hiding places include:

• Behind the license plate
• Sideview mirror
• Inside the gas cap door
• Tucked into the wheel well or bumper
• Inside a trailer hitch
• Front grille and bumper area

The thieves monitor the vehicle's location via an app and wait until the car is parked in a quiet area where they can then perform a coordinated theft away from security cameras and potential witnesses.