Salespeople Alleged to Have Sold Stolen Vehicles

Police arrested two car dealership employees who allegedly sold unsuspecting customers stolen vehicles.

“One of the accused, employed as a salesperson at the dealership, would source vehicles from numbered companies, some of which they controlled,” said 53 Division Major Crime Unit Detective Dan Kraehling, of Project Warden. “The dealership’s own funds were used to buy these vehicles which were then fraudulently presented as legitimate used cars to buyers. To further the deception, the accused would generate fictitious sales agreements using fraudulent Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and modify Carfax reports to match the fraudulent vehicle information, giving buyers the appearance of a legitimate purchase. The stolen vehicle would then be delivered to the buyer who had no way of knowing that the VIN number on their paperwork didn’t match the actual vehicle.”

In some cases, Kraehling said the stolen vehicles were falsely registered to individuals not listed on the sales documents, including one person who was deceased at the time of the sale.

The car dealership reported to police when they discovered the alleged crimes.

During the week of October 21, 2024, police executed eight search warrants across residences, commercial garages and vehicles, leading to the recovery of two suspected re-vinned vehicles as well as documents and electronics used in the fraudulent activities.

To date, we have linked the accused to 22 fraudulent vehicle sales while operating as legitimate car salespeople,” said Kraehling. “Altogether, these activities have caused financial losses of approximately $2.18 million, affecting both the dealership and unsuspecting members of the public.”

Harris Bocknek, 35, of Barrie and Fadi Zeto, 32, of Mississauga, face 176 charges, including trafficking property obtained by crime and forgery.

Inspector Heather Nichols, said the investigation builds on the successful efforts of Kraehling and the 53 Division team who previously led Projects Safari and Poacher.

“These initiatives have resulted in more than a dozen arrests, over 100 charges laid and the recovery of more than 100 stolen vehicles, marking significant strides in the fight against auto theft,” added Nichols.

Police believe there are more victims.

If anyone recognizes Zeto, as a salesperson who sold them a vehicle, they can contact police at 416-808-5306, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or at www.222tips.com

When buying a used vehicle, police recommend that people perform proper due diligence by independently obtaining vehicle history reports. Revinned stolen vehicles will often have discrepancies in their vehicle histories such as being the wrong colour or having inconsistent odometer readings.

To date, 8,100 vehicles have been stolen in Toronto this year, a 21% decrease since the same time last year