Two men have been taken into police custody after a stolen vehicle was detected by an officer’s Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) system in Markham, according to the York Regional Police.

On May 4th, around 6:30 p.m., an officer on general patrol was notified by the ALPR system that a black Toyota Camry on Ninth Line, near Hwy. 407, had been reported stolen. After cross-checking with police and Ministry of Transportation databases, officers confirmed the vehicle had indeed been reported stolen, and subsequently arrested the driver and passenger.

During a subsequent search of the occupants and car, law enforcement officers confiscated several master keys, AirTags, cell phones, and a substantial amount of cash.

The two arrested men have been identified as Georges-Junior Saint-Elien, a 28-year-old from Montreal, and Yetka Isik, a 29-year-old from Markham.

Both have been charged with two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, as well as four counts of possession of an automobile master key.

The ALPR system is linked to the in-car camera system, which is fitted in all front-line police vehicles, according to the YRP. As police officers patrol, the system utilizes a camera inside the vehicle to automatically read licence plates. When the officer encounters violations related to the licence plate, as identified by the Ministry of Transportation, the system then alerts them. The infractions include stolen vehicles, stolen licence plates, driving while disqualified or suspended, and individuals wanted on arrest warrants, among others.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the York Regional Police No. 5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau – Property Crime Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7545, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.