Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Police Beat

Suspects arrested after canine-led manhunt in Newmarket

Two suspects from Montreal are charged with vehicle theft after chase into Copper Hills early yesterday
Joseph Quigley
Joseph Quigley
20240305-newmarket-vehicle-jq
A vehicle crashed into a post in the Copper Hills neighbourhood in Newmarket March 4. Supplied photo

York Regional Police have charged two suspects for vehicle theft after a canine-tracking manhunt in Newmarket’s Copper Hills neighbourhood.

Police responded to a vehicle theft March 4 at 3:30 a.m. in East Gwillimbury, at Queensville Sideroad East and Leslie Street. A complainant said two men stole a Ford F150 pickup truck. Police said they located the truck travelling south on Leslie and attempted to stop it. Another suspect vehicle, a white Audi, was also travelling in tandem with the truck.

“The suspects in the stolen truck managed to evade police,” YRP said in a news release. “However, the Audi was stopped and two suspects fled on foot.”

Police confirmed the chase happened in the Copper Hills neighbourhood. A resident took a photo of the Audi, which had knocked over a signpost at Veterans Way and Memorial Circle.

York Regional Police said they set up a perimeter and a lengthy tracking by the canine unit in the area.

Residents reported waking up early to the sound of sirens in the neighbourhood.

“Woke up to police and police dogs going through backyards,” one area resident said on social media.

“My kids were woken up at 4 a.m. from the sirens but we didn’t know where it was coming from,” another resident said.

Police said both male suspects were caught. Police added upon search of suspects, they found a backpack containing a laptop and various vehicle-theft equipment.

Mathieu Authier, 31, and Ali Kirisikoglu, 20, both of Montreal, face charges. The charges include dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of an automobile master key. Kirisikoglu also faces two charges for failing to comply with a release order.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police #1 Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7141.

You can also provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or going online at 1800222tips.com.