Three youths arrested in Ajax after violent robbery and highway chase in stolen vehicle: police

A Durham Regional Police car is shown in Bowmanville, Ont. on Tuesday Feb. 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

Three youths are facing charges after they allegedly robbed and ransacked a store in Ajax on Sunday before attempting to flee police in a stolen vehicle, investigators say.

Just before midnight three masked youths entered a Shopper Drug Mart near Kingston and Westney roads and began smashing displays with hammers and baseball bats, police say.

They left the store with stolen perfume and fled in a stolen vehicle, according to investigators.

Police were able to locate the group travelling westbound on Highway 401 minutes later. Their vehicle was stopped and three suspects were taken into custody.

Two of the three suspects were subject to court-imposed conditions in relation to previous robbery charges, police say.

The three suspects are 15, 16 and 17 years old, respectively, police say. They are facing a combined 17 charges.

For a full list of the charges they are facing follow this link.