Four 15-year-olds and a 20-year-old man are facing charges in connection to armed robberies at a jewelry store in Toronto and an electronics store in Mississauga.
Investigators say the jewelry store robbery took place on June 10, 2024 at a store inside a shopping mall near Ellesmere and Brimley roads in Toronto.
“Four suspects wearing disguises to conceal their identities, armed with hammers, smashed several display cases and removed a large quantity of jewelry and other property from secured areas,” Peel police said in a release. “All the suspects then fled from the area in a stolen vehicle.”
Police believe the same suspects struck again the next day — this time at an electronics store near Kennedy Road and Matheson Boulevard in Mississauga.
“The suspects, this time armed with a firearm, made demands for property and proceeded to ransack the store, stealing multiple electronics before fleeing to the same stolen vehicle,” police said.
All five suspects were arrested not long after in a foot pursuit and investigators say stolen property was located and seized.
“As part of the investigation, search warrants were executed at addresses in Toronto and Mississauga,” police explained.
“The vehicle used to commit the robberies had been stolen during a carjacking that occurred on June 7, 2024, in Mississauga. The victim of the carjacking was forcefully pushed to the ground as she approached her vehicle and the suspects then stole her purse and drove off in her car. The investigation into that incident remains ongoing.”
Jailen Whyte, 20, of Toronto is facing robbery and weapons charges as well as failing to comply with a release order.
Four 15-year-old youths, from Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto and London were also arrested and charged.
They also face numerous robbery and weapons charges.