Police are searching for a man who approached a 14-year-old girl and placed his arms around her inside the Royal York subway station.

Police said the man began “talking to the girl while escorting her in his direction.”

The teen had to pulled away from the suspect by an alert TTC rider who observed what was taking place.

“The girl asked the man to let her go,” officers said in a news release. “A citizen observed the interaction and intervened by pulling the girl away from the man.”

Detectives said the incident occurred on April 5 around 1:30 p.m. inside the station.

The suspect is described white, medium build, clean shaven, short white hair, wearing black baseball cap with a design/sticker on top of the brim.

He was wearing black pants, black hoodie, black puffer vest, black Puma shoes with white Puma stripe logo, carrying a blue duffle/messenger bag with black strap.

There has been a number of incidents in the last few months in which young girls have been approached by ‘suspicious’ men.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

 

 

A Mississauga man is behind bars for allegedly using three aliases to pose as online lovers to defraud elderly women searching for company on the web.

Police said a probe was launched in January 2019 after an Oakville woman was scammed of about $70.000 by an online Romeo.

“The suspect would initiate and maintain contact with his victims through email and text, establish trust through this remote relationship and convince them to transfer funds,” according to Halton Regional Police Service Fraud Unit.

Police said the investigation revealed the names of other women who were scammed nationwide.

“Following a lengthy investigation, and the identification of several other victims across the country, the suspect was identified,” Halton police said.

“The suspect used a number of aliases and targeted older adult victims across Canada, with reported losses totaling approximately $370,000,” police allege.

Fraud Unit officers issued a warrant on March 17 and searched a Mississauga apartment.

Toju Ariri, 34, of Mississauga, is charged with six counts of fraud over $5,000 and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

Police allege the suspect was operating under different names; including Dante Leonardo, Sean Bruno and Jason Roberto.

Officers allege fake images were used in creating dating profiles accompanying the aliases.

Some of the images were released by police. They photos were blurred because they are not of the accused.

The false photos were obtained online and the people are not involved with the scams in any way shape or form, according to police.

For more information, call the Halton Regional Police Service Fraud Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 8741.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or visit www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

 

Peel Regional Police are sad but happy.

Last week one of the force’s most successful crime-fighting canine, Police Service Dog (PSD) Nitro, took his last sniff of crime, helped with another arrest and is now barking in the sunset.

The force’s K9 Unit said PSD Nitro retired as he approached 10 years of hectic police service and keeping the peace.

PSD Nitro, and his handler, identified as Const. Arnem, have been on the beat chasing criminals and shop-lifters since 2014.

Peel police said the two attended some 2,500 calls and made more than 380 arrests together.

Nitro can now go on to have a regular life like other dogs this summer.

He is expected to be awarded his badge.

 

It is being called the Humber Bay pizza delivery heist.

Toronto Police are still searching for two suspects and a vehicle that were involved in the robbery of a large sum of cash from a condo at Humber Bay Shores.

Police say on March 30 about 9:40 a.m. two men arrived at a condo building in the Park Lawn Road and Lake Shore Blvd. W. area.

They entered the property in an expensive green Land Rover Defender SUV, with no front licence plates, police said.

“Both suspects entered the lobby area and one suspect pretended to be a pizza delivery person,” according to a release from 22 Division. One “was granted access to a condo to deliver the pizz.”

“He entered a unit and removed a large quantity of cash from a safe,” detectives said.

The men left the address in the Land Rover.

Police have released sharp photos from security cameras of the suspects.

The driver is described as 5’10”, 190 lbs., clean shaven with black hair. He was wearing a black mask, red hooded sweater, grey sweat pants, white socks and sandals.

He was speaking on a cell phone, wore black gloves and holding a pizza box.
The passenger was described as 5’9″, 200 lbs., unshaven with black hair.

He was wearing a blue surgical mask, yellow hooded sweater, black sweat pants with a red stripe on the side, and black running shoes.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

 

High school teacher Farheen Alim says she decided to run for the Ontario New Democrats after watching the Premier refuse to give paid sick days to parents of her students.

If elected on June 2 as MPP of Etobicoke Lakeshore, the English as a Second Language teacher hopes to secure more funding for Ontario schools and increase affordable housing.

Alim opened her constituency office in Mimico at 5491 Lake Shore Blvd. W. on April 9 and it was attended by supporters and well-wishers.

“As a school teacher I care about our schools and the future of our children,” Alim said. “I will an advocate for our public school system.”

She plans to provide “financial support to first-time home buyers and renters who need it the most.”

The party also plans to close loopholes driving renovations and strengthen rent control.

“Farheen is the only candidate in Etobicoke-Lakeshore positioned to stop the Conservatives,” one pamphlet boasted.

She faces an uphill fight against incumbent PC MPP Christine Hogarth, who has held the riding four years, and has good name recognition.

Hogarth is a valued member of the Doug Ford team.

Also running is Liberal Lee Fairclough, a 22-year Etobicoke resident, who was nominated as the Ontario Liberal Party (OLP) candidate in the upcoming elections.

“As a Hospital President, Lee saw the Ford Conservative failures in health care firsthand, she’s running to make sure those mistakes never happen again,” said Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca. Fairclough has served as President of St. Mary’s Hospital since January 2020, leading the hospital for the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is an Adjunct Professor in Health Policy at the University of Toronto, where she earned her Master of Health Science in Health Policy, Management and Evaluation.

Fairclough started her career providing cancer treatment to patients at Princess Margaret Hospital as a Medical Radiation Technologist Therapist (MRT(T)).

“I am thrilled to be the Ontario Liberal Candidate for my home community in the next provincial election,” said Fairclough.

 

The life of iconic former teacher and politician Jean Augustine has now been documented in film.

There was a red carpet premiere at the Scotiabank Theatre on April 2 for the documentary ‘Steadfast: The Messenger and the Message,’ based on the life and exploits of Augustine.

The film by Fahim Hamid Ali tells the heartwarming story of the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman to serve as a federal Minister of the Crown and Member of Parliament.

She is noted for bringing forward a motion in Parliament to recognize February as Black History Month.

The House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month in Canada in December 1995.  Augustine introduced the motion that the House of Commons carried unanimously.

“We continue to use this opportunity to recognize and amplify the achievements and importance of Black Canadians and their communities,” according to a release.

Augustine has long ties to South Etobicoke and is founder of the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, which runs many programs for teenage girls.

The former MP was born in Grenada and arrived in Canada in 1960 through an immigration program that brought 3,000 women from the Caribbean to Canada to work as domestics.

She later pursued a career in education, eventually becoming an elementary-school principal.

Augustine said people suggested she consider a career in politics but she was reluctant at first: ‘politics was often portrayed as a corrupt old-boys’ club, and as a Black woman, the idea of running seemed almost unimaginable to her and others then.

“We didn’t have people who were conscious of the fact that [Black women] needed to be there,” she said in an interview. “There were people in the community at the time saying, ‘What do you think you’re doing? Can you see anybody out there that looks like you?’ We did not, as a community, have the confidence that the system was ready for us.”

In 1993, Augustine made history as the first Black woman to be elected to Parliament. She served as an MP for Etobicoke Lakeshore for 13 years.

She was appointed as Ontario’s first-ever fairness commissioner in 2007 and held that role until retiring in 2015. Her career inspired Black women across the country to get involved in politics.

 

One of Mimico’s favourite barber shop is all boarded up for now following a deadly car crash that left three people dead.

A speeding Cadillac SUV on March 31 fatally hit two pedestrians legally crossing a traffic light at Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Superior Avenue, and then crashed into a truck trailer involved in roadwork killing the driver.

The driver was banned from driving in Canada due to crimes. He was prohibited from driving in Ontario due to medical reasons. He was earlier involved in a minor crash at Eighth Street.

The popular Elevate Barber Shop, at 2383 Lake Shore Blvd. W., near Superior Avenue, had its large plate glass window smashed after a pylon hit by a vehicle flew through the glass injuring a customer inside.

Shop owner Jonathan Compton said the waiting customer suffered minor injuries to his hand after being hit by shards of broken glass.

“The customer saw the accident and pylon flying through the air,” a disappointed Compton said. “He had little cuts on his hand from the flying glass.”

He said the fatal crash was the worst experience he’s experienced in Mimico. The barber saw the SUV driver die before him.

“I saw the entire thing and was one of the first to arrive at the crash scene to help,” Compton said. “That heavy trailer was pushed about six feet from the impact of the hit.”

He said it will take a couple days for him to recover and for the plate glass to be repaired.

“It was a very tragic accident and I was the only business in the area affected,” Compton pointed out. “Everyone else is open. I am the only business damaged.”

He said the pylon was one of many being used to close off sections of the road.

Still he is open for business and is accepting customers.

Elevate Barber Shop can be reached at 647-347-6008. Appointments not required.

 

 

Mimico residents are mourning the deaths of two long-time residents and a third person who drove through a red light and plowed into people crossing lawfully at an intersection.

The white Cadillac SUV after hitting the victims then smashed into the side of a parked tractor trailer that was involved in construction work on the roadway.

The driver Omar Sinclair Frederick Downey, 36, died on the spot.

Police said Downey was banned due to crimes from driving in Canada. He was not allowed to drive in Ontario due to medical issues, members of Traffic Services said.

The March 31 crash killed Kelly Hamilton, 43, and Ken Arkley, 75, who were legally crossing at the intersection of Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Superior Avenue around 5:30 p.m.

Both were struck in front a number of people who were outside during the supper hour.

Arkley was said to be on his way home after visiting a local Valumart grocery store. Hamilton was also on her way home when fatally hit.

The SUV did not apply any brakes and instead drove in the middle lane on the TTC streetcar tracks, barreled through a red light and slammed into a parked flatbed truck, according to witnesses.

“It was a horrific crash,” said Carl, an area resident. “People were running to help and some were crying. It was terrible.”

Police said the Cadillac had earlier sideswiped a parked van near Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Eighth Street.

Ray Qalawi, the owner of Kabob House, heard the crash and ran to Toronto Fire Station 435, on Eighth Street, to get help. He had smashed the driver’s window of the vehicle so the man could breathe.

“The man looked like he was having a medical incident,” Qalawi said. “There were a number of people who had gathered to help him.”

He said fire fighters, along with an ambulance, soon arrived but the man got back into his vehicle and sped off east on Lakeshore Blvd. W.

“About four minutes later we heard of the tragic accident in Mimico,” he said. “If someone had detained this man then we would not have anyone dead today.”

Mimico resident Nesren Haso lives near the crash site and heard the sirens from police and paramedics arriving at the scene.

“I saw the bodies on the ground,” Haso recalled. “I haven’t been able to sleep for days.”

A Go Fund Me campaign has raised almost $5,000 to help with the Hamilton’s funeral and raise her children.

“Kelly was a young beautiful, smart, funny woman whose smile lit up the room,” wrote friend Sabrina Szuszwalak. “She was loved by many and is leaving behind her three children and countless family and friends who will miss her dearly.”

Area residents, some who do not even know the victims, have been leaving flowers at the scene to say their goodbyes.

Tearful witnesses say they’ve never seen a violent crash like this.

Three people, including two Mimico-area residents, have been pronounced dead in a motor vehicle crash that occurred in the Lake Shore Blvd. W. area and Superior Ave.

First responders were called to the area just after 5:30 p.m. on March 31.

When police arrived several people had no vital signs present.

Police say two pedestrians were struck and killed after a car hit a flatbed truck at what appeared to be a fast speed.

Traffic officers Police passengers may have been ejected from a vehicle after a fast-moving car struck a parked flatbed truck.

In a tweet, police said that three people were without vital signs at the scene. Paramedics have confirmed three people died following the collision.

“It was terrible,” said long-time Mimico resident Carl. “I have never seen a crash like this before.”

Carl said one man was hit and believed to be killed after he left a nearby Valumart grocery store.

“All he was doing was buying milk or bread or something and he was killed,” he mourned.

Witnesses said a woman was sent flying over a flatbed truck that had blocked part of Lake Shore Blvd. W. for construction work.

“People who saw this as I did will not be able to sleep tonight,” he said. “All this happened right in front of me.”

Witnesses said the car seemed to have lost control at the intersection and slammed into the trailer, which was involved in construction work.

Police said they are in the early stages of their investigation. The names of the victims have not been released.

The Toronto Police Service are thanking the public for their assistance in locating missing Aveda Polsinelli.

Aveda Polsinelli, 13, was last seen on Saturday, March 5, 2022, in the Royal York Road and Evans Avenue area.

She was located on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at 7 p.m. and is said to be in good health.