One man is charged and Halton Regional Police are seeking another following an investigation into a series of residential break-and-enters in Milton using green spaces as launching points. “We have been experiencing a recurring surge of residential break and enters tied to organized Eastern European theft groups and organized Latin American theft groups involved in what we refer to as
‘crime tourism,’” Det. Sgt. Kevin Magee said in a release Thursday, noting the issue is “affecting communities across the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of Ontario.”
“These groups are known to take advantage of the extended hours of darkness during the fall and winter months. They mobilize in coordinated teams, conduct pre-offence surveillance, exploit natural escape routes such as trail systems, and focus on high-value items that can be quickly liquidated.”
Cops said throughout 2025, Milton experienced a spike in B&Es, with the majority occurring after sunset and in unoccupied homes backing onto trail systems and greenspace corridors.
Investigators determined the thieves used these natural access points to avoid detection and would enter backyards by jumping fences from trail systems, then smashing rear patio doors and quickly ransacking homes in search of high-value items, primarily gold and jewelry.
More than $400,000 in valuables were stolen, in addition to significant property damage to the affected homes.
E-scooters, trail cameras, getaway SUV
Evidence gathered during the investigation revealed that the suspects used e-scooters to travel through trail networks, allowing them to move swiftly and quietly between neighbourhoods before returning to a nearby getaway vehicle — identified as a 2021 white Ford Explorer Police Interceptor.
