If the authorities had a warrant, why wouldn't they just take all the locked computers with them back for further investigation? Then they would have been able to have a judge order Uber to unlock the computers for forensics.
Uber's actions are similar to shredding evidence of tax evasion, which in the case of Arthur Anderson during the Enron scandal, resulted in federal obstruction of justice charges, and a strengthening of federal powers for charging of similar actions.[0]
Note: I am not a lawyer, nor a resident of Canada, so I am not sure if my proposal above is legal within that country. But it would seems to me that actions similar to the above have taken place in the USA in the case of tax evasion with probable cause.
Uber's actions are similar to shredding evidence of tax evasion, which in the case of Arthur Anderson during the Enron scandal, resulted in federal obstruction of justice charges, and a strengthening of federal powers for charging of similar actions.[0]
Note: I am not a lawyer, nor a resident of Canada, so I am not sure if my proposal above is legal within that country. But it would seems to me that actions similar to the above have taken place in the USA in the case of tax evasion with probable cause.
[0] https://blj.ucdavis.edu/archives/vol-5-no-2/document-destruc...