Toronto police say they have arrested and charged a 29-year-old man and are looking for at least one more suspect accused of breaking into a charity’s parking lot over Thanksgiving weekend and stealing several catalytic converters from the organization’s trucks.
Police say they arrested the man after executing a search warrant at an Oakville residence on Wednesday and charged him in connection with the thefts at Second Harvest, a charity that rescues food en route to landfills and redistributes it to people in need.
At a news conference on Thursday, Acting Superintendent Jeff Bangild said tips from the community led investigators to the man’s residence, though the seven stolen catalytic converters have yet to be recovered.
Bangild says police are looking for a second suspect, as well as the vehicle the alleged thieves used to flee the scene.
Police say they were called to Second Harvest’s headquarters in the city’s west end just after midnight on Sunday after suspects broke into the charity’s parking lot and stole truck parts.
Police say the accused, who faces three counts of breaking and entering, is also believed to have pulled off other thefts in the area.
Police allege the Oakville man was involved in a theft at a nearby business on the same day Second Harvest was broken into, as well as another theft in September.
Police say both incidents saw vehicles damaged and catalytic converters stolen.
Bangild said Thursday that catalytic converters have a “high value” on the black market.
At a Wednesday news conference, Second Harvest CEO Lori Nikkel said the charity has received an influx of support in the wake of the thefts, and that local food importing business Aurora Foods donated $60,000 to help cover the cost of the truck repairs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
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