Today at Toronto Police headquarters, Inspector Rich Harris, of the Hold Up Squad, informed the media about six arrests made and over $980,000 in stolen property recovered in Project Repeater, an investigation into a series of carjackings, pharmacy robberies, and financial institution robberies.
Between Sunday, August 21, 2022 and Saturday, March 18, 2023, officers from Toronto, Peel, York and Halton Regions, and the Ontario Provincial Police, responded to seven carjacking robberies, two thefts of motor vehicles, twenty-three pharmacy robberies and two financial institution robbery calls.
It is alleged that:
- groups of males, travelling in stolen vehicles, committed a series of carjacking robberies, vehicle thefts, pharmacy and financial institution robberies
- in the majority of incidents, they used handguns and in others they used a knife or physical violence to control the victims
- they approached vehicles pointing a handgun at the occupant(s) while demanding their keys, vehicle and property
- they drove away from each scene in the victim’s stolen vehicle
- in relation to the involved pharmacies, they entered each premise, committed takeover-style robberies, making demands for both cash and narcotics
- in most incidents, they obtained quantities of cash and narcotics
- after the robberies, they fled to an awaiting vehicle and drove away from the scene
Members of the Toronto Police Hold Up Squad commenced a collaborative multi-jurisdictional investigation with the Peel Region Central Robbery Bureau, York Region Hold Up Squad, Halton Region Robbery Unit and the Ontario Provincial Police – Caledon Major Crime and Community Street Crime units.
The Hold Up Squad received continued assistance throughout the investigation from numerous Toronto Police Service resources including Intelligence Services, Forensic Identification Services and officers from 22, 23, 32, 42 & 43 Division Major Crime Units.
Through funding provided by the Government of Ontario, Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario (CISO) supported this Toronto Police Service joint investigation.
“Toronto Police remain concerned about the number of carjackings and pharmacy robberies in our city,” said Inspector Harris. “So far this year, there have been 54 pharmacy robberies compared to 33 at this time last year – a 64 per cent increase. The number of carjackings remains high at 23 so far this year, with those vehicles often being used as suspect vehicles in jewellery store, financial and electronics store robberies.”
The media conference can be viewed on YouTube. Video is available upon request.
During the extensive investigation, the team was able to identify several suspects, not only those who committed the robberies but also those who orchestrated them behind the scenes.
On Thursday, March 30, 2023, members of the Hold Up Squad, in partnership with other TPS Units and our regional partners, executed seven Criminal Code Search Warrants in relation to this investigation. Four of the suspects were located and taken into custody.
It is further alleged that:
- during the searches, officers recovered items of evidentiary value related to the investigation
Amir Inyat, 29, of Brampton, was charged with:
- 28 counts of Robbery With Firearm
- four counts of Robbery
- two counts of Theft of Motor Vehicle
- Possession Property Obtained by Crime – Over ($5000)
- 33 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
- three counts of Fail to Comply – Release Order
Shais Ejaz, 25, of Brampton, was charged with:
- six counts of Robbery with Firearm
- Robbery
- Theft of Motor Vehicle
- eight counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
Mohammad Habib, 32, of Toronto, was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery with Firearm
- two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
Kausar Rahimzada, 21, of Toronto, was charged with:
- Accessory to Dual Procedure Offence
The final suspect was already in custody on another matter.
Steven Singh, 22, of Brampton, was charged with:
- four counts of Robbery With Firearm
- Theft of Motor Vehicle
- 15 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
All four men and the 21-year old woman were scheduled to appear in court for a Bail Hearing on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 10 a.m., at Toronto North Court, 1000 Finch Avenue West, in courtroom 306.
Previously arrested were:
Steven Singh, 22, of Brampton, previously charged with:
- 13 counts of Robbery With Firearm
- one count or Robbery with an offensive weapon
- 14 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
- 14 counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 10 a.m., at Toronto North Court, 1000 Finch Avenue West, in courtroom 204.
A 15-year old boy*, of Toronto, was previously charged with:
- seven counts of Robbery With Firearm
- two counts of Robbery With Offensive Weapon
- four counts of Robbery
- 13 counts of Disguise With Intent
- six counts of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Pointing a Firearm
- Assault Causing Bodily Harm
- Assault With Weapon
- Assault
- 13 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
- 13 counts of Possession Property Obtained by Crime – Over ($5000)
The total value of stolen property (vehicles, currency and narcotics) from these robberies is over $980,000.
Two of the stolen vehicles remain outstanding:
- a black 2022 Cadillac Escalade with the Ontario licence plate CHDRYSB.
- a black 2022 Dodge Durango with Ontario licence plate CYDM878.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.
*Please refer to Section 110, Subsection 1, of the YCJA:
110. (1) Subject to this section, no person shall publish the name of a young person, or any other information related to a young person, if it would identify the young person as a young person dealt with under this Act.