Durham Regional Police are asking the public to help identify two suspects after the same Oshawa hobby store was broken into twice within nine days and more than $10,000 worth of remote-controlled vehicles was allegedly stolen.
The Oshawa hobby shop break-ins occurred at Great Hobbies, located at 991 Taunton Road East. Police said both incidents happened during the early morning and involved a similar method of entry: a projectile was fired from what investigators described as a slingshot-style weapon, shattering the business’s glass front door.
First Break-In Reported on June 17
The first incident occurred at approximately 4 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Police allege that two men used the projectile-firing device to break the front door before entering the store.
Investigators said the suspects took more than $7,000 worth of remote-controlled vehicles. They then left the area in a white Honda Odyssey minivan.
Remote-controlled cars, trucks, aircraft and related equipment can carry significant retail value, particularly when several boxed products are taken at once. Police have not provided a complete inventory of the missing merchandise or disclosed whether any of it has since been recovered.
Suspects Return Nine Days Later
Durham police said the same two suspects returned to Great Hobbies at approximately 4:40 a.m. on Friday, June 26.
The suspects allegedly used the same type of weapon and entry method to break the glass door again. More than $3,000 worth of remote-controlled vehicles was taken during the second incident.
Police said the suspects left in a black Volkswagen Jetta. Investigators have released images of the people and vehicles connected with the incidents through the Durham Regional Police website.
The first suspect is described by police as a brown male between 30 and 40 years old, approximately six feet tall and of slim build. The second is described as a brown male between 20 and 30 years old, approximately five feet ten inches tall and of medium build.
These descriptions are investigative information and do not establish anyone’s identity or involvement. Members of the public should not confront possible suspects or post unverified names online.
Police Seek Video and Witness Information
Anyone who was near the Taunton Road East business during the early morning hours of June 17 or June 26 is asked to review cellphone, doorbell, security or dashboard-camera recordings.
Useful footage could include the white Honda Odyssey, the black Volkswagen Jetta, people approaching the business or vehicles travelling through the surrounding commercial area before or after each break-in.
Original video files should be preserved rather than edited or uploaded publicly. Details such as licence plates, vehicle damage, clothing or direction of travel could assist investigators.
Anyone with information about the Oshawa hobby shop break-ins is asked to contact Detective Constable Edwards of the East Crime Team at 1-888-579-1520, extension 1605.
Anonymous tips can be submitted to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward when information helps an investigation.
No arrests had been announced in the initial police appeal. The two incidents are separate from the recently reported series of eight commercial break-ins across Oshawa and Clarington; the available police releases do not state that the cases are connected.
This report should be updated if police identify the suspects, announce arrests or recover the stolen merchandise.
