Police make surprising finds, lay 50 charges, during tow truck inspection blitz
![Tow truck blitz A tow truck with the word Ontario spelled incorrectly is inspected in Caledon, Ont., during an OPP one-day blitz on Nov. 22, 2023. (Source: OPP)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/11/28/tow-truck-blitz-1-6664303-1701197524941.jpg)
Provincial police in Caledon held a one-day tow truck blitz that resulted in 50 charges and some surprising finds, police say.
Police say 72 tow trucks were inspected during the blitz last week, including pickup and heavy rescue-style trucks, adding several arrived with broken equipment that were not included on the approved tow list for 2024.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Officers deemed two trucks unfit for the road, resulting in their licence plates and tow licences being removed.
The charges were for defective equipment, including improper emergency lighting, winches in poor working order, and drivers failing to note defects in their daily inspections.
"During one inspection, officers found that the storage bin of one tow truck was missing a secure lock and was held closed with the use of an old hockey skatelace," said OPP Const. Ian Michel.
"It was surprising how some operators showed up with trucks that they should have known would not pass inspection," Michel added.
Police say tow truck operators need to ensure their vehicles are inspected yearly to be approved to tow for OPP incidents under the Provincial Tow Program to ensure they are safe and prepared to lend assistance.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING Celine Dion performs at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Beloved Canadian icon Celine Dion made her much-anticipated appearance during the closing of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Canada's Christine Sinclair: 'We were never shown drone footage'
Canada soccer great Christine Sinclair said on Friday national team players were never shown drone footage during the more than two decades she was on the team, following a spying scandal that cast a shadow over the Canadians at the Paris Games.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn $146,000 for water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
She couldn't stop thinking about the guy she met at the Athens Olympics. Then a message from him changed her life
Omaira Gill grew up counting down the days to each Olympic Games. She wasn’t especially sporty, so she ruled out the prospect of competing pretty early on. But she still harboured Olympic dreams – even just spectating would do.