Two people from the southern part of Simcoe County have had 22 additional charges added to their rap sheets in connection with an auto theft investigation.
The combined Barrie Police-South Simcoe Police Street Crime Auto Theft Unit began their investigation in early summer that resulted in the arrest of a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old female.
Police allege the suspects stole mid-sized Toyota pickup trucks and used stolen vehicles to carry out the thefts.
"Three thefts from Barrie have resulted in the recovery of the stolen vehicles from locations within the Greater Toronto Area," police said in a news release.
Initially, the accused were charged with 24 criminal offences that include theft of a motor vehicle, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, mischief under $5,000, failure to comply with release orders, possession of property obtained by crime, possession of an automobile master key and other property-related charges.
Police said the investigation has continued, and the suspects now face 22 additional charges in connection with auto theft, mischief, and possession of break-and-enter tools.
Both the man and woman were held for a bail hearing, and only the male remains in custody.
"Investigations of this type are complex and require hours of specialized police work long before arrests are made," police stated.
