Store Robberies Have Gone Up In Toronto Lately & A String Of Them Happened Last Night
It seems that the Toronto Police had a busy night on Monday, after receiving multiple robbery calls across the city. Officers are now investigating a string of Toronto retail robberies that took place throughout the night. In a statement to Narcity, the police revealed that they have been experiencing an increase in retail robberies and hold-ups over the past weeks.
According to investigators, the first incident on Monday took place around 3:00 a.m. at a shop near Lawrence Avenue East and Underhill Avenue.
It was reported that two masked men entered the store with a handgun and stole "money and products" before fleeing in a black car.
Police reported a second incident around the same time at a convenience store at Sheppard Avenue East and Bayview Avenue.
The suspects, one of which was later identified, were described as black males between the ages of 20 to 30 with medium builds and dark hair. They also fled in a black vehicle.
The final incident, which also took place at Sheppard and Bayview, involved the same suspect descriptions as the earlier robbery in the area. Money, product, and a white BMW were stolen as a result.
Toronto Police Services reported back in March that the city's crime rates had dropped significantly in almost every major category, including robbery since the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown.
ROBBERY: Lawrence Av E + Underhill Av ** 3:08 am ** - 2 males enter a convenience store - Faces covered, 1 had blac… https://t.co/kUmiw7FtNR— Toronto Police Operations (@Toronto Police Operations) 1587467669.0
However, it was reported that the 6ix's homicide rate had been relatively unaffected by the pandemic.
Although city-wide street robberies have been on a decline, police have noted to Narcity that they've seen a recent increase in hold-ups and retail robberies.
ROBBERY: Sheppard Av E + Bayview Av - Money/products taken - Males also take a white BMW - Suspects fled in both ca… https://t.co/G14Jsnf6ev— Toronto Police Operations (@Toronto Police Operations) 1587468208.0
Since the beginning of April, Toronto Police have issued 14 statements regarding multiple retail robberies across the city.
Some suspects have even been arrested for robbing multiple locations.
"I can tell you that while it is far too early to make any determination on possible crime trends during this time, we do know that since March 16, 2020, our weekly statistics have shown a decline in overall robberies," Meghan Gray, Corporate Communications, told Narcity.
"But, when broken down, we have seen an increase in hold-ups and retail robberies," she added.
However, police do note that it's still too early to make a prediction on crime trends during this time.
