UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE:

Waterloo Regional Police Service’s Direct Action Response Team (DART) has charged three individuals in connection to an ongoing fraud investigation involving stolen vehicles.

In March 2024, members of WRPS’ Direct Action Response Team (DART) began an investigation into the fraudulent rental of vehicles across southwestern Ontario, resulting in over 50 criminal charges and multiple arrests.

As part of this investigation, on June 13, 2024, DART investigators arrested three individuals in the area of Erbsville Road and Royal Beech Drive in Waterloo. Two stolen vehicles were also recovered.

The three arrested parties, a 34-year-old Waterloo male, a 40-year-old Guelph female, and a 43-year-old male, have been charged with multiple offences, including possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of a stolen credit card, possession of an identity document, and failing to comply with a release order.

 

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Waterloo Regional Police Service’s Direct Action Response Team (DART) has arrested a wanted female after receiving a report of a suspicious vehicle in Kitchener.

On May 13, 2024, at approximately 9:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle, occupied by a male driver and a female passenger, in a shopping plaza parking lot in the area of Glasgow Street and Ira Needles Boulevard.  

Through investigation, it was determined that the suspicious vehicle had also been involved in a gas theft from a Woolwich Township business earlier in the day.

Upon arrival, DART and North Division Patrol officers located the vehicle, a grey Hyundai Elantra, occupied by a male driver, in the parking lot and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle fled at a high rate of speed, driving over landscaping features, and almost striking a fully marked police cruiser. A suspect apprehension pursuit was not initiated due to public safety concerns.

A short time later, around 9:50 p.m., officers located the involved female, inside a business at the plaza, and placed her under arrest. Further investigation confirmed the female was wanted on outstanding warrants for multiple criminal offences.

As a result of the investigation, Alexandra Krafchek Alfaro, 28, was charged with several additional offences, including:

• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5,000
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000 (two counts)
• Possession of an identity document
• Theft under $5,000
• Failure to Comply with Undertaking

Ms. Krafchek Alfaro was held in police custody for a bail hearing.

The investigation to locate the outstanding male suspect, and the vehicle, which was determined to be stolen, is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777. To provide anonymous information, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit online at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.

Waterloo Regional Police Service would like to thank the public for their assistance with this investigation.

 

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Waterloo Regional Police are seeking the public's assistance with locating a female in connection to a criminal investigation.

Alexandra Krafchek Alfaro, 28, is known to frequent Waterloo and Woodstock. Ms. Krafchek Alfaro is described at 5’4’’ tall, with black hair.

Ms. Krafchek Alfaro is currently wanted for the following charges:

• Fraud Under $5,000 (three counts)
• Possession of an Identity Document (four counts)
• Possession of Stolen Goods over $5,000 (two counts)
• Possession of Stolen Goods under $5,000 (two counts)
• Identity Fraud (four counts)
• Conspiracy to Commit and Indictable Offence
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5,000 (three counts)
• Failure to Comply with Undertaking
• Failure to Comply with Judicial Release
• Motor Vehicle Theft (two counts)
• Occupant of a Motor Vehicle without Consent
• Obstruct Police Officer

Ms. Krafchek Alfaro’s current whereabouts are unknown, and police are seeking the public's assistance to locate her.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777. To provide anonymous information, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit online at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.

 

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Waterloo Regional Police have recovered nine stolen vehicles and laid over 50 criminal charges in connection to an ongoing fraud investigation involving stolen vehicles.

In March 2024, members of WRPS’ Direct Action Response Team (DART) began an investigation into the fraudulent rental of vehicles across southwestern Ontario.

Through investigation, police determined that several individuals from Waterloo Region were engaged in providing stolen identity documents to obtain rental vehicles and failing to return them to the rental companies.

Further investigation linked the involved individuals to a series of vehicle thefts from local used-car dealerships. The suspects allegedly attended car dealerships and presented stolen identity documents to test-drive vehicles. The suspects would then fail to return the vehicles.

Currently, DART investigators have charged five individuals in connection to this investigation, including a 28-year-old female and a 43-year-old male, both from Waterloo. The accused parties have been charged with over 50 criminal offences, including:

• Identity fraud
• Possession of stolen property over $5,000
• Possession of an identity document
• Fraud under $5,000
• Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
• Motor vehicle theft

The investigation remains ongoing and additional arrests and charges are anticipated.

Police are encouraging vehicle rental companies and dealerships to consider the following tips to help prevent this type of vehicle theft:

• Scrutinize identity documents presented to rent or test-drive vehicles and make a copy of the documents.
• Request two other pieces of identification in addition to a driver’s licence (e.g., provincial health card, current utility bill, credit card).
• Charge a security deposit to the driver’s credit card prior to the vehicle leaving the premises.
• Require the driver to provide a contact phone number, and call it before they leave the premises.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.