A Hamilton business owner was able to thwart a robbery after being alerted in a group chat by another store owner who had just been targeted by the same suspects, police said.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning and began at KC Convenience, which is located in the area of Parkdale Avenue North and Roxborough Avenue.
Hamilton police said four masked individuals allegedly entered the store wielding a knife and made demands of the owner. However, they failed to take anything and fled in a stolen white Honda van.
“After calling police, this engaged business owner quickly thought to use his group chat with other business owners in the area to alert them to what had just happened,” police said in a news release on Friday.
The owner’s action to notify others would prove vital as the same four masked suspects later arrived at the Big Bee convenience on Barton Street East – approximately four kilometres from the initial scene.
The store’s employee, police said, saw the suspects and immediately secured the door before they could gain entry.
The suspects then fled to the Wholesale Club, where they allegedly approached an individual in the parking lot and tried to rob their vehicle. Police said the suspects were unsuccessful and drove away in their van.
“The fleeing van then struck another vehicle in the intersection of Nash Road North and Barton Street East. The four suspects fled the collision and were quickly located and arrested by our officers,” police said.
The four suspects have been identified as 18-year-old Veron Francois from Brampton, 18-year-old Takai Glen from Etobicoke, a 16-year-old boy from Toronto and another 16-year-old boy from Etobicoke.
The names of the two youth suspects were not released under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Francois and Glen are each facing two counts of robbery with intent to steal, one count of disguise with intent, robbery with violence and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
The two 16-year-olds have been charged with two counts of YPC (Youth Peer Court) robbery with intent to steal, YPC possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, YPC disguise with intent and YPC robbery with violence. The teen from Toronto is facing an additional charge of YPC fail to comply with a release order.
“The collective efforts of the community played a pivotal role in the successful apprehension of these individuals, ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents,” police said in a statement.
Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact Hamilton police at 905-546-2991, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or http://www.crimestoppershamilton.com.
