15-year-old Toronto boy arrested after more than a dozen armed robberies
A 15-year-old child from Toronto is the latest minor to be implicated in a serious crime (or "crimes," in this case) after allegedly participating in at least 14 armed robberies across the GTA between September and December of 2022.
The boy, who cannot be publicly named per the provisions of Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act, was arrested by members of the Toronto Police Hold Up Squad on Wednesday, Dec. 28.
Police had been executing a Criminal Code search warrant in relation to a multi-jurisdictional robbery investigation at the time when they located the boy and took him into custody.
The child has been charged with a litany of offenses, listed out in a news release by the Toronto Police Service (TPS) on Friday as follows:
News Release - Boy arrested for series of armed pharmacy robberies and one financial institution robbery in Toronto, Peel and Halton Regionshttps://t.co/DAAwpjhfTw pic.twitter.com/hUnAplJtVs
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) December 30, 2022
Police said on Friday that the suspect was one member of a group involved in fourteen pharmacy robberies and one financial institution robbery between Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, and Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.
The specific names of impacted businesses were not revelead, nor were their locations, but police say that the crimes were committed in the Toronto, Peel, and Halton regions.
"It is alleged that a group of boys, travelling in stolen vehicles, committed a series of armed robberies. During these robberies, several boys entered each premise and committed takeover-style robberies," reads a news release issued by TPS today.
"They would rush in and start making demands for narcotics and cash. At some incidents they used a handgun, some used a knife, and other suspects used physical violence to control any shoppers or employees inside the stores."
Police say that the suspects obtained various quantaties of cash and narcotic drugs during the pharmacy robberies, but fled from the scene of the one financial institution they'd attempted to rob empty-handed.
Investigators with the York Regional Police Hold Up Squad, the Peel Regional Police Central Robbery Bureau, the Halton Regional Police Robbery Unit and the Toronto Police Service's Intelligence Services unit were able to identify only one of the boys involved in the robberies.
It is not clear how many other people were involved or how old they are thought to be.
Anyone with information about any of these crimes or potential suspects is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, or submit tips through Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Is it just me or are the criminals getting younger
— Dave (@DaveWalmsley1) December 30, 2022
15-year-old Toronto boy charged in series of armed pharmacy and bank robberies https://t.co/0EWtu3KWM5 via @cp24
The teen arrested this week in connection with the robberies mentioned above is one of several young offenders to make headlines in the Toronto area this month.
Police announced on Dec. 20 that three 13-year-old girls, three 14-year-old girls and two 16-year-old girls had each been charged with second-degree murder following the stabbing death of a 59-year-old Toronto man near Union Station.
The teens are accused to have attacked and killed a man who had recently entered Toronto's shelter system just after midnight on Dec. 20 near York Street and University Avenue.
"These eight individuals, from what we've gathered so far... they met each other through social media," said Toronto Police Det. Sgt. Terry Browne at the time.
"They come from varying parts of the city — that is to say they are not from one specific geographic location. We don't know how they met on that evening, and why the destination was downtown Toronto."
During a court hearing this week, a lawyer for one of the young women suggested that the fatal attack had been filmed and posted to TikTok.
One of the teens has been released on bail while the other seven remain in custody.
1 of 8 teen girls charged in murder of Toronto homeless man released on bail https://t.co/Y0OCuRZYu8 who gave her bail? Our justice is a joke and a revolving door?
— Klaus Bower (@klsbower) December 30, 2022
let them out to do it again? - disgusting? why arrest them in the first place ??
Coincidentally (or not,) just hours after announcing the arrest of the aforementioned 15-year-old boy in connection with the robbery investigation, the Toronto Police Service issued another release informing the public of two unrelated teen arrests.
A 17-year-old boy from Oakville and a 15-year-old boy from Brampton both face multiple charges related to a Dec. 15 carjacking in the Hullmar Drive and Jane Street area.
Both stand charged with "Robbery With Firearm," "Disguise With Intent," and "Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence."
"It is alleged that the victim was working as a food delivery driver when he parked his vehicle to make a delivery," said police of the incident.
"As the victim exited his vehicle, he was approached by four boys wearing masks. One boy produced a handgun and made a demand for the victim's keys and wallet. The boys took the victim's keys and fled the scene in the victim's vehicle."
Two teenage boys were located the next day inside the victim's car and taken into custody.
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