20-year-old man, 4 teenagers charged in connection with armed robberies in Toronto and Mississauga

Peel Regional Police badge. (Peel Regional Police/Facebook)

A 20-year-old man and four teenagers have been charged in connection with armed robberies at a Toronto mall jewelry store and an electronics store in Mississauga this week.

The first incident happened Monday at a jewelry store inside Scarborough Town Centre. Peel Regional Police (PRP) allege four suspects wearing disguises and armed with hammers smashed several display cases and stole a large quantity of jewelry and other property from the store’s secured areas.

The suspects then fled in a stolen vehicle, police said.

The next day, the same suspects who allegedly had a firearm walked into an electronics store in the area of Kennedy Road and Matheson Boulevard and made demands for property.

Police allege the suspects proceeded to ransack the store, taking multiple electronics. They then fled the area in the same stolen vehicle.

Officers with Peel and Toronto police later arrested five suspects and located and seized properties related to the two robberies.

On Thursday, PRP identified one of the five suspects as 20-year-old Jailen Whyte. The other four, who are from Toronto, Mississauga, London and Brampton, are 15-year-olds and cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They have been charged with numerous offences, including robbery, disguise with intent and using imitation firearms.

Police noted that Whyte and two 15-year-olds were bound by previous court orders.

“This investigation remains ongoing, and police anticipate more charges could be laid,” PRP said in a news release on Thursday.

They are asking anyone with information to contact investigators at [phone] ext. 3410 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or peelcrimestoppers.ca.