Toronto Police Just Charged Multiple Suspects For A Million-Dollar Retail Store Robbery

The Toronto Police Hold Up Squad just revealed that they finally caught the group behind a million-dollar heist, and thanks to "Project Heavy Bag," several arrests were made and firearms were seized.

TPS posted a news release on September 28 detailing the retail robbery that took place on April 1 in the Carlingview Drive and Dixon Road area. Two men forced one of the employees at gunpoint to grant them access inside, then assaulted a second victim, forced them to open up the safes, and ordered the victims to get on the ground.

Two of the suspects then started grabbing piles of cash and loading it up into garbage bags. Toronto Police Inspector Richard Harris said the robbers made away with "in excess of one million dollars" before fleeing the scene in a vehicle that was waiting nearby.

Police report that on May 17, an attempted home invasion happened in the Kipling Avenue and Steeles Avenue area.

Even though the armed suspects had fled the scene before officers arrived, police recovered approximately $160,000 in the unit that they believed to be linked to the April 1 robbery.

"As a result of the investigation, members of the Toronto Police Holdup Squad were able to identify four suspects involved in the robbery," police officials wrote. "On Thursday, September 9, 2021, a man and a woman were located and arrested. A fully loaded 9mm Glock handgun and a quantity of ammunition were seized from the vehicle."

Devante Virgo, 23, and Courtni Martin, 22, face a total of 15 charges against them including robbery with a firearm, occupying a vehicle with a firearm, and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

More suspects were added into the equation as investigations continued. With the assistance of the Emergency Task Force, Major Crime Units and Forensic Identification Services, members of the Hold Up Squad were able to put out four more search warrants at various addresses and on two vehicles.

"As a result, clothing, seven additional handguns (6 Glock pistols and a Luger firearm), high-capacity firearm magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, body armour, a large quantity of cocaine and cash were seized," police wrote in the report.

Five more people between the ages of 22 and 37 were arrested and charged with one other suspect still at large. Andrew Parsons, Phillip Nkrumah, Gabrielle Belsito, Michelle Belsito, and Stephanie Nkrumah face a grand total of 54 counts against them, collectively.

Police are still looking for 22-year-old Emmanuel Rawson who is wanted for robbery with a firearm, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by a crime of over $5,000.