Five teens—three minors and two 18-year-olds—were apprehended in Markham, Ont., for their involvement in an attempted smash-and-grab at a jewellery store in the city’s Yonge Street and Doncaster Drive area. Police arrived following a phone call reporting “suspicious people” at the store.
Upon their arrival, law enforcement identified three suspicious male individuals. They apprehended the suspects and took one into custody for possession of a hammer. The remaining two suspects fled the scene in a vehicle that has since been identified as one stolen during a violent carjacking.
The vehicle was soon located in a grocery store parking lot in Whitby, Ont., by an emergency response crew, police aviation, and a K-9 unit. It contained five occupants, all of whom were subsequently arrested. One suspect had a replica firearm in their possession. Following the execution of two search warrants, law enforcement also discovered a loaded handgun at a connected residence.
According to CTV News, 18-year-old Kayron Walters from Ajax and 18-year-old Tafiyah Eccleston from Oshawa face charges. An additional three individuals—a 16-year-old male from Ajax, a 16-year-old female from Brampton, and a 17-year-old male from Oshawa—have also been charged. However, their identities are protected under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Charges include conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession of property obtained by crime, and unauthorized possession of a firearm with ammunition.
