Conspiring to acquire 14 Ford Edge crossover vehicles is akin to burglarizing a jewelry shop in the dark and absconding with a sack full of electronic timepieces. That’s precisely what transpired at Ford’s Oakville manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada a few weeks ago, when culprits unlawfully entered and pilfered a collection of Ford Edges, the least captivating SUV bearing a Blue Oval emblem since the disappearance of the EcoSport.
Under the cloak of night on January 8, thieves breached the perimeter fence at Ford’s Oakville facility to seize the vehicles, as detailed by Ford Authority. The method by which they infiltrated and ignited the vehicles, how they departed with them, and why they overlooked the more costly Lincoln Nautiluses also manufactured on-site, remain enigmatic. Presumably, the breach in the fence was of a sufficient size to allow the SUVs to pass through unimpeded, although details were not specified by the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS). Subsequently, five individuals have been apprehended, and 12 of the appropriated vehicles have been recovered.
Ford
However, it appears that the detained individuals may not be the ones who perpetrated the initial break-in, as all charges pertain to possession of stolen goods, illegal firearms possession, and drug possession, conspicuously not attributed to the intrusion at Ford’s facility. The intruders could still be at large, but the investigation is ongoing.
Despite the lackluster appeal of the Ford Edge, the combined value of 14 units amounted to approximately $630,000, as indicated by the HRPS, making it a potentially lucrative plunder if the vehicles were sold off.
Regrettably for Ford, this is not the premiere instance of its vehicles being snatched from manufacturing plant premises. A ring responsible for the theft of million-dollar F-150 trucks last year targeted multiple Ford holding lots in Detroit. Similarly, in 2022, a selection of Shelby Mustangs and Ford Raptors went missing from assorted Michigan factories. While factory thefts may not be uncommon, Ford has endured, at the very least, three major incidences within a span of fewer than three years. Enforce tighter security measures, Ford.
Got tips? Send them over to tips@thedrive.com