Toronto police have found what they believe to be a body part in Scarborough that may have links to human remains found in Mississauga.

Police received a call just after 1 p.m. Saturday after a suspected body part was discovered near Kennedy Rd. and Bonis Ave., north of Sheppard Ave E., said Staff Sgt. Keith Smith.

While police believe it is a body part, it’s not yet confirmed that the remains are human, he said.

Peel Regional Police said their homicide and missing persons bureau was contacted by Toronto police about a “suspicious” discovery. However, it is not yet clear if the discovery is connected to the body parts investigation in Mississauga, where a human foot, head and hands were found in and around the Credit River.

More than half a dozen police cars blocked off Kennedy Rd. and Cardwell Ave. Saturday as officers scoured the banks of a creek that flows under Cardwell Ave. The forensic identification unit, marine unit and the coroner were at the scene and access to the creek on the south side of Cardwell was also closed off.

Cameron Janes said he came across the remains when he was looking for golf balls along the edge of the creek. When he noticed bones sticking out, he took two pictures with his cellphone and rushed up the bank to call 911.

“The smell was unbelievable and there were flies all over it,” said Janes.

“It just looked like it had been cut with a hacksaw.”

Janes found what he thinks is a part of a human leg about 1.5 metres in front of where the creek runs under Cardwell Ave.

It was found on a rock at the edge of the creek, he said.

“The stains on the rocks just made it look like it had been there a while,” said Janes.

Police came immediately and taped off the area, he said.

At about 7:45 p.m., police set up floodlights on Cardwell over the small ravine where Janes made his gruesome discovery. More lights were hooked up down along the creekbed.

West Highland Creek flows through the small wooded area from the nearby Tam O’Shanter golf course.

On Saturday afternoon, an evidence marker sat beside what appeared to be a baseball-sized chunk of bone uphill from where Janes made his discovery, behind a row of townhouses.

Residents wandered over to the edge of the police tape to see what was going on.

“I can’t believe this, things like this never used to happen,” said one man.

Elizabeth Kinsman, general manager of the condo complex that backs onto the creek, said she hasn’t heard of anything strange occurring in the area.

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“I think they’re more curious than anything,” said Kinsman. “This is a really quiet neighbourhood . . . I think people are more surprised than anything.”

Police stopped the search after dark Saturday but kept the area cordoned off and officers and forensics remained on scene. Police said they would continue the investigation at daylight Sunday.

Toronto police spokesperson Const. Wendy Drummond said Saturday night that police were waiting for results from the coroner and would provide more information as it became available.

“It’s unreal when it happens in your backyard,” said Eddie Muise, who lives nearby. “I walk by here at all times of night.”

“I just hope they come to some solution, all of us will be happier then,” he added.

In Mississauga, Peel police are still combing the area along the Credit River after several body parts were found in the last few days.

“Our priority is still to ID the victim, and from there we can continue with this investigation,” said Peel police Const. George Tudos. “But we are looking at all missing persons cases within our jurisdiction and within others too.”

Police are continuing to search for other body parts in Hewick Meadows Park, with ground crews, a marine unit, and cadaver dogs on scene. Tudos said police have expanded the proximity of the search as a result of the recent discovery, but not by much.

“This is a very large area here and we’re not going to jump around from area to area depending on what gets found,” he said. There is no time frame for when police will end the search.

A right foot was found by hikers in the park on Wednesday and police found a severed head Thursday. On Friday, two hands were found in the river.

Investigators believe the remains are female because the foot had yellow painted toes. Police said the body parts have been in the water for some time, and are heavily decomposed. As a result the person’s age and ethnicity aren’t clear.

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