Three male teenagers have been arrested in connection with multiple robberies in York Region and the Greater Toronto Area.
York Regional Police were called to a pharmacy on Glen Shields Avenue in Vaughan on May 10 at about 10:20 a.m. for a report of a robbery, when they learned three suspects had entered the store wearing masks, police said in a news release. One of them was armed with a handgun and they demanded cash and narcotics.
The suspects obtained a small amount of cash from the register but when they realized the safe was on a time delay, they left without obtaining anything further, police said.
On May 11, another robbery occurred at a currency exchange business on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill.
No one was physically injured during either of the incidents, police added.
Through investigation, officers were able to link the two robberies in York Region to three others that occurred between May 9 and 15 at pharmacies in Milton, Toronto and Mississauga, police said.
On May 15, investigators were conducting surveillance on the suspects who were observed operating a stolen vehicle in Pickering. During the surveillance, the suspects pulled up to a pharmacy wearing gloves and masks. Officers quickly took the suspects into custody and they have been charged with a number of offences, police said.
Charged are: a 17-year-old male from Toronto; a 17-year-old male from Toronto and a 15-year-old male from Toronto.
Charges include: robbery with an imitation firearm (x6); disguise with intent (x6); and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Anyone with information on these incidents, or any witnesses who have not yet spoken with police, are urged to contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7545, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online.
