A pair of 14-year-old boys have been charged along with a 15-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man following a pair of smash-and-grab robberies in York Region and Toronto.
York Regional Police responded Sunday at 1:43 p.m. to the Weston-Rutherford Rds. area, where it’s alleged that four suspects attended a store in a stolen vehicle while wearing masks.
Police alleged that the culprits approached a store while armed with hammers and smashed the glass door to gain entry before making a demand for the safe to be unlocked and taking cellphones before fleeing the area in the stolen vehicle.
A day later — Monday at 4:40 p.m. — Toronto Police responded to a hold-up call in the Keele St.-Wilson Ave. area.
Police alleged that four suspects went to a store in a stolen vehicle while wearing masks. Three of the suspects approached a store while armed with hammers, smashing the glass door to gain entry, demanding to unlock the safe and taking cellphones before fleeing the area in the stolen vehicle.
Officers responded and located the stolen vehicle, which police alleged accelerated at “a high rate of speed” before colliding with another vehicle in the Finch Ave. W.-Chesswood Dr. area. An occupant from the other vehicle sustained minor injuries.
The responding officers took all four suspects into custody following a short foot pursuit.
Toronto and York Regional Police started an investigation and determined the suspects were allegedly involved in both robberies.
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Nathan Palmer, 20, of Toronto, was charged with robbery with an offensive weapon, disguise with intent, flight while pursued by a peace officer, dangerous operation of a conveyance, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
The 15-year-old male from Toronto was charged with robbery with an offensive weapon, disguise with intent, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
The two 14-year-old males from Toronto were each charged with two counts of robbery with an offensive weapon, two counts of disguise with intent, three counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and two counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
The youths can’t be named as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-7350 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or 222tips.com.