Two teens face 100 charges following string of violent carjackings: Toronto police
Posted June 8, 2022 11:35 am.
Last Updated June 27, 2022 3:57 pm.
Toronto police arrested a 17-year-old and 19-year-old and laid 100 charges stemming from an investigation into a series of carjackings across the city.
Officers launched the investigation, called “Project ZigZag,” to focus on the surge in violent vehicle thefts that have plagued the GTA and its residents over the past few months.
Police allege the two suspects attempted at least 10 carjackings and a retail robbery in Toronto and Durham Region between May 15 and May 26. Most of the incidents occurred in Scarborough with two of the carjackings happening in Durham.
“During these incidents, the suspect was armed with a handgun and would approach victims in their driveways demanding their keys,” said Insp. Richard Harris, speaking outside of Toronto police headquarters. “At least one other suspect would be in a nearby getaway vehicle.”
In five of these violent crimes, the suspects were successful in taking the victims’ vehicles. Harris says there were no injuries reported during the thefts.
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During the retail robbery, police allege one suspect entered a business and demanded cash and fireworks while pointing a handgun at employees. At least one other suspect was again waiting outside in a getaway car, and the suspects forced the employees to load fireworks into their vehicle before fleeing the scene.
Police do not believe the teenagers have a connection to organized crime and were only using the stolen vehicles to commit other offences. Police have recovered all the stolen cars, and Harris says most were found abandoned.
“Suspects usually target high-end vehicles, and these are nearly always sold for profit,” said Harris. “In this particular investigation, many of the vehicles were not high-end.”
On June 2, the two suspects were identified in Brampton travelling in one of the stolen vehicles. Officers initiated a high-risk takedown, and the two suspects were taken into police custody without incident.
Police say two handguns, a knife, a quantity of stolen property, a robbery kit, and clothing used during the carjackings was recovered by police.
Tyliq Jones, a 19-year-old from Toronto, was arrested and is facing 44 charges, including 11 counts of robbery with a firearm.
A 17-year-old was also arrested and is facing 56 charges, including 11 counts of robbery with a firearm. (Full list of charges)
Both suspects appeared in court on Friday, June 3.
Rash of carjackings across Toronto, GTA, in recent weeks
There have been over 100 carjackings in Toronto this year, which has led police to set up a new investigative unit to focus on the surge in violent thefts. There were 103 carjackings in the city in all of 2021.
Police say they have increased patrols in several areas of Toronto that have experienced carjackings over the last few weeks. Task forces have been assembled to leverage a more significant police presence to catch these perpetrators.
Participating in the carjacking task force are Toronto police, Peel police, York police, Durham police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Mayor John Tory issued an open letter last month to the federal and provincial governments, calling for additional resources for Toronto police. In the letter, Tory said all levels of government need to work together to improve public safety in the city.
Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner speaks to reporters after a locker clean out at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, on Thursday, April 25, 2019. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP).
CityNews learned there had been approximately 6,000 car thefts this year in just Toronto and Peel Region, including around 3,700 in Toronto. Police in Peel says over 400 vehicle thefts have been carried out in the region in 30 days.
Toronto police recently investigated a string of four carjackings in Scarborough one night last month.
On May 16, Toronto Maple Leafs’ winger Mitch Marner was carjacked at gunpoint by a group of suspects in the parking lot of a Cineplex in Etobicoke.
A few days later, three suspects were believed to be involved in a series of armed carjackings allegedly carried out in less than two hours.
