This was not the first attempted theft of this 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee in Scarborough.  “There are two separate incidents,” said the owner’s son Andrew Ricketts.
A man is seen honking a Jeep car horn in a theft caught on a home surveillance camera on July 10, 2022 (Supplied).  In surveillance footage obtained by CTV News Toronto, the two incidents – just over two months apart – can be seen in full.
A ring-shaped camera placed in front of the garage, along with a motion sensor, alerted his parents that someone was in their driveway on May 8.  When they checked the app, they saw two men.  One of them was on his knees honking the truck’s horn to stop the car door alarm going off.
To scare the two men, Ricketts said his parents set off the house alarm, which is broadcast through a microphone outside the house.  They immediately fled the scene.
The second attempt was made on Sunday.  “They got a little smarter this time,” Ricketts said.
Again, two men arrived, but this time, they came at 6 a.m. just after the sun had risen.  In this way, the house’s motion sensors were disabled because they are only active at night.
A man started cutting the car’s horn, which the owner had fixed since the last attempt.  Meanwhile, the second man stood guard by the sidewalk smoking a cigarette.
“They obviously have some kind of computer system to override the keyless start of the car,” Ricketts said.  “And then they left.”
Around 8:30 a.m., as Ricketts’ father left the house to get breakfast, he discovered his car was gone.  That day, they filed their second police report after the first just weeks earlier.
A day later, on Monday night, Ricketts saw a tweet from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), which read: “Mississauga OPP advised of possible stolen vehicles inside an intermodal container.  The truck stopped on Highway 427/ Rexdale.  Truck driver charged with possession of stolen property x2.  A stolen Range Rover and Jeep Cherokee were recovered.  The investigation is ongoing.”
#MississaugaOPP advised of possible stolen vehicles inside a combined transport container.  Truck stopped on #Hwy427/Rexdale.  Truck driver charged with possession of stolen property x2.  A stolen Range Rover and Jeep Cherokee were recovered.  The investigation is ongoing.  pic.twitter.com/FxUKEIjHFI

— OPP Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) July 12, 2022
Immediately, Ricketts recognized his parents’ Jeep, and a short time later, police contacted them to say their car had been found. The OPP confirmed to CTV News Toronto that the Jeep was indeed owned by Ricketts. “It’s very scary,” Ricketts said. “It’s a complete violation.” “You buy yourself a truck, park it in your driveway, and some thief comes in the night.”