A brazen, two-year scheme targeting an Amazon fulfillment center in Ajax has led to charges against five individuals, with losses exceeding two million dollars. The investigation began last month, sparked by concerns raised by Amazon’s own loss prevention team who noticed a disturbing pattern of missing merchandise.
Durham Regional Police focused their attention on two employees at the Salem Road facility, uncovering evidence of a sophisticated theft operation. The alleged scheme involved systematically stealing goods over a prolonged period, quietly siphoning off valuable inventory.
Monday marked a turning point as police arrested the initial two suspects. A subsequent search warrant executed at a Scarborough residence yielded a significant recovery: $250,000 worth of high-end electronics and a staggering $50,000 in Canadian currency.
Mehul Baldevbhai Patem, 36, of Newmarket, now faces charges of fraud and theft, both exceeding $5,000. His alleged role appears to be central to the initial fraudulent activity within the Amazon facility.
Ashishkumar Savani, 31, of Scarborough, is facing the most serious accusations, including trafficking in property obtained by crime. He is also charged with fraud and theft over $5,000, suggesting a key role in both the theft and subsequent resale of stolen goods.
Bansari Savani, 28, of Scarborough, Yash Dhameliya, 29, of Scarborough, and Janviben Dhameliya, 28, of Scarborough, are all charged with possession of property obtained by crime for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime. Their involvement points to a network built to handle and distribute the stolen merchandise.
The recovered electronics and cash represent a substantial portion of the stolen goods, but the full extent of the operation and the final destination of the merchandise remain under investigation. This case highlights the vulnerabilities within large-scale logistics operations and the lengths to which individuals will go to exploit them.
