16 people arrested in 37 robberies; gangs involved: Toronto police
Posted December 22, 2016 11:06 am.
Last Updated December 22, 2016 7:55 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto police say 16 people who are responsible for dozens of robberies across the GTA and Guelph are now in custody.
While charges have been laid in 37 robberies, more are still under investigation, police said Thursday. Police are looking for three more suspects.
The robberies took place at stores and banks in York Region, Peel Region, Halton Region, Durham Region, Guelph, Hamilton, and Barrie. Officers from all areas were involved in the investigation.
At least 18 vehicles were also stolen, police allege.
Insp. Mike Earl called the suspects “pathetic parasites that have been plaguing the community.”
“A lot of them are known gang members or associates from the northwest corridor of Toronto that have been spreading like a bad smell through the GTA committing violent crimes,” he said at a news conference on Thursday.
Police say the robberies began in May of 2016 and lasted until November. The car thefts ended in July.
At least two gangs, The Complex Crip Gangsters and the Treyy Money Gang, were involved, police allege.
Police allege they were sophisticated and avoided detection by “numerous” law enforcement agencies. Police say gang members often swapped roles, so that no one person was always holding the gun or driving a getaway car.
Click here to see the full list of 37 robberies, and the names of the men charged.
