Hanover Police Service has charged three men from outside the region who attempted a fraudulent purchase of a high-end SUV.
According to police, on April 10, a local car dealership alerted them to a possible identify theft and fraud involving the purchase of a $140,000 vehicle.
The following day, plain clothes and uniform officers arrested a male suspect as he completed the transaction to purchase the vehicle with what police say was "an authentic but fake Ontario driver’s licence."
Two other men involved in the crime were identified and arrested by officers a few blocks away operating a black Mercedes four-door sedan. Police say a search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of stolen licence plates from the GTA, and other documents linked to high-end stolen vehicles.
A 45-year-old Timmins man, a 33-year-old Hamilton man and a 41-year-old Oakville man were held in custody overnight and released at their bail hearings on Saturday.
The 45-year-old is facing charges including of unauthorized possession of a credit card, fraud over $5,000, attempting to use a forged document, and identity theft.
The 33-year-old and 41-year-old are charged with possession of stolen property, counselling to commit an indicatable offence, possession of an identity document and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
All three are scheduled to appear in Walkerton Court later this month.
Police say they're still looking to identify two other male suspects who were operating a black Volkswagen Tiguan with dark tinted windows. The two were in the area of 10th Street and 18th Avenue, on Friday between 12 and 12:30 p.m.
Police say they've determined the duo were conducting counter surveillance while working in partnership with the other suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hanover Police Service at 519-364-2411.