Police have charged three teens and a 20-year-old in connection with several smash-and-grab-style robberies in Toronto and North York.
The first incident happened on Sunday in Toronto’s Mount Dennis neighbourhood, near Weston Road and Rutherford Avenue, just east of Jane Street.
Police say around 1:45 p.m., four masked suspects in a stolen vehicle drove up to a store. They then walked up to the establishment and used hammers to smash the glass door to get inside.
They then allegedly demanded that the employees unlock the safe and took some cellphones before driving away from the scene.
York Regional Police say the suspects fled in a black sedan and a blue hatchback.
On Monday afternoon, Toronto Police say they were called to the Downsview area, near Keele Street and Wilson Avenue, around 4:40 p.m.
Similar to the previous robbery, they said an unknown number of suspects wearing masks to hide their identities pulled up to a store in a stolen vehicle.
Three suspects then allegedly approached the store with hammers, smashed the glass door to get inside, and demanded that the employees open the safe. Investigators say they took a quantity of cellphones before taking off, again in the reportedly in the stolen vehicle.
The suspects allegedly sped from the scene and, shortly after, collided into another vehicle in the area of Finch Avenue West and Chesswood Drive.
Police say an occupant from the other vehicle sustained minor injuries.
Investigators say the suspects ran away from the crash, but police apprehended them after a short chase, where one officer sustained a minor injury to his leg.
In a release issued Tuesday, police say they charged Nathan Palmer, 20, with various offences, including robbery with an offensive weapon, flight while pursued by peace officer, and two counts of possession of property obtained by crime.
Police also charged two 14-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy, whose identities are protected under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Toronto police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-7350 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.