Hamilton police arrest teen after fast-food receipt links him to stolen vehicle

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a stolen car after Hamilton police used a fast-food receipt found in the vehicle to link him to the theft.

On July 21 at approximately 7:50 a.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Highway 8 and King Street East after receiving reports of an abandoned vehicle blocking traffic.

Once on scene, authorities located an unoccupied black Ford Explorer with its hazard lights on.

Investigators later determined the vehicle was reported stolen in Halton earlier in July.

During the examination of the vehicle, officers found a receipt from a local fast-food restaurant. On the receipt was the date and time of purchase, which was determined to be a valuable piece of information.

Authorities went to the restaurant and reviewed CCTV footage from the time of the transaction listed on the receipt. In the footage was a teenage boy that investigators recognized.

As a result, police attended the 16-year-old’s residence. He has since been arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and failure to comply with a youth sentence order.

Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact police at 905-546-2963.

Those wishing to provide information anonymously can do so through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or via their website.

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