York Regional Police (YRP) used its helicopter to track a stolen vehicle from Vaughan to downtown Toronto and arrested four suspects.
On Thursday, police shared a video from its Air2 helicopter showing it following the stolen vehicle on Sept. 5. from a residential neighbourhood through the Don Valley Parkway to a parking lot.
Police said Const. Mark Kitchen and members of the Air Support Unit used thermal imaging and virtual mapping to help officers on the ground.
The vehicle was later discovered in a paid parking lot on King Street.
In the video, officers are seen examining the vehicle as someone is heard on the radio informing them where the four suspects are.
“So, we got two in the Pizza Pizza, and the other two are making their way on foot toward that area,” one officer said.
Police intercepted two suspects on Windsor Street.
“They’re the only two idiots masked up with their hoods up in the middle of the summer,” an officer is heard saying on the radio.
Meanwhile, at the Pizza Pizza in the area of Blue Jays Way and Front Street West, two other suspects were “sitting cozy,” an Air2 officer told others on the ground who were making their way to the restaurant.
“One way in, one way out. You go in, they’re right to the right in the corner. It’s a really good takedown spot,” they say.
The video jumps to the Tactical Unit storming the pizzeria and arresting two suspects inside.
“In collaboration with (Toronto Police Service), the flight officers supported the ground operation from above, which resulted in the successful arrest of four individuals and the recovery of a stolen vehicle,” YRP said.