Scarborough resident charged after opening fire on car thieves: Cops
· Toronto Sun
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A Scarborough resident faces legal trouble after police say he opened fire on would-be car thieves attempting to steal a vehicle from his home’s driveway early Wednesday.
Toronto Police say officers responded to a call for a “suspicious Incident” in a residential neighbourhood near Kingston and McCowan Rds. around 2:40 a.m.
“Information was received that unknown suspects were attempting to steal a vehicle from the driveway of a home,” police said in a message posted on X. “A firearm was discharged by a resident of the home.”
Police said nobody was injured but a nearby home was damaged by the gunfire.
Wanna-be car thieves took off
The suspected thieves fled the scene before officers arrived.
“(A) resident of the home was charged,” police said, adding the investigation is “ongoing.”
Francis Betinvieh, 37, of Toronto, is charged with discharging a firearm recklessly.
He was scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing on Wednesday.
Police did not immediately reveal any details about the firearm or say if the accused is a licensed gun owner.
No description of the suspected car thieves has been released either.
Not the first time residents fought back
While the circumstances of the suspected vehicle theft are unclear, this is not the first time GTA residents have taken action to protect their property from thieves.
One such incident saw a mother, father and their two adult sons fight off would-be car thieves in the driveway of their home in the city’s west end in September 2025.
And another such incident saw residents of an Oakville home grab baseball bats to chase off armed home invaders while being fired upon in June 2025.
Anyone with information regarding the incident in Scarborough is urged to call police at 416-808-4300.