A brazen attempt to rob Erin Mills Town Centre was thwarted last week, culminating in the swift apprehension of four teenage suspects.
The incident unfolded on a Wednesday afternoon, shortly before 2:50 p.m., when four individuals, masked and clad in black, entered the bustling mall. Each carried a hammer, immediately raising alarm among shoppers and security personnel.
Mall security, along with a dedicated paid-duty police officer stationed on site, immediately gave chase as the suspects moved through the mall. One suspect was quickly subdued and taken into custody by security.
The remaining three fled in a stolen Honda CR-V, hoping to evade capture. However, their escape was short-lived. Officers from the 11 Division Community Intervention and Response Team swiftly located the vehicle.
A coordinated effort ensued, with patrol officers strategically boxing in the CR-V to prevent a dangerous pursuit. A brief foot chase followed, ending with the arrest of all three remaining suspects.
Remarkably, no one was injured during the attempted robbery, and no property was taken from any stores within the mall. The quick response prevented a potentially dangerous situation from escalating.
Investigators soon discovered a connection to a prior incident. These same four individuals were allegedly involved in a failed robbery attempt in York Region just hours earlier.
The four teenage boys, ranging in age from 14 to 17, now face a series of charges including robbery, attempted offenses, possession of stolen property, and disguise with intent. Due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, their identities are protected.
Elsewhere in the region, tragedy struck on Highway 400 in Vaughan. A collision between a passenger vehicle and a transport truck resulted in the deaths of two men in their 30s.
The crash, which occurred near Major MacKenzie Drive, left a 50-year-old man hospitalized with critical injuries. The driver of the transport truck was unharmed, but the highway was closed for several hours as authorities investigated.
In Toronto, emergency services responded to a tent fire near Cherry Beach, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries to two individuals. This incident follows a similar event just days prior, where a woman was found on fire inside a tent in Etobicoke.
The recent series of incidents underscores the unpredictable nature of events and the dedication of first responders in maintaining public safety across the region.
