3 people charged in 20 break-ins across Ottawa and eastern Ontario

Ontario Provincial Police cruiser. (Source: OPP/File Image)

Three people from the Toronto area are facing a total of 366 charges in connection with 20 break-ins at businesses across Ottawa and eastern Ontario.

Ontario Provincial Police say the break-ins began in July and continued into September at businesses in Ottawa, Kingston, Brockville, Cornwall, Leeds, Grenville, Russell County, Lennox and Addington and Quinte West.

“The thieves would primarily target convenience stores which had closed for the night,” the OPP said in a media release on Tuesday.

“The culprits would force their way inside and then take cigarettes and lottery tickets to cash.”

Police said arrest warrants were issued in late October for three people, and they were already in custody in another jurisdiction.

A 27-year-old from Etobicoke is facing 126 charges, including 20 counts of break and enter, 20 counts of possession of break-in tools, 18 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, 16 counts of mischief over $5,000, and 12 counts of theft over $5,000.

A 28-year-old from Brampton is facing 128 charges, including 20 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, 19 counts of break and enter, 19 counts of possession of break-in tools, 11 counts of theft over $5,000, and 16 counts of mischief over $5,000.

A 20-year-old from Toronto is facing 112 charges, including 17 counts of break and enter, 17 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, 15 counts of possession of break-in tools, and nine counts of theft over $5,000.

The OPP says investigators worked with the Kingston Police, Brockville Police Service, Cornwall Police Services and the Ottawa Police Service.