Adult and two young offenders charged for breaking into homes to steal the car keys of homeowners.
It was a terrifying ordeal for these homeowners.
A man and two young offenders have been arrested after breaking into two dwellings during the early morning and threatening the homeowners with a gun in a bid to steal their car keys.
Toronto Police said on January 8 around 3:39 a.m. the three smashed a rear kitchen glass door in a home in The South Kingsway and The Queensway area. One of the suspects threatened the homeowners with a gun.
Terrified homeowners were threatened with guns in two break-ins a half-hour apart.
“One person inside the house began to call police and the three suspects fled the scene,” police said in a release.
Officers said about half hour later, around 4:07 a.m., they were called to another home invasion and attempted robbery at another dwelling in the Royal York and The Queensway area.
Again the culprits broke into a home but were this time confronted by the homeowner.
The thieves were nabbed by a special task force investigating the rash of violent car thefts.
Two of the suspects had firearms and the victim heard one of the weapons being discharged, police said.
The suspects fled the scene but officers said shell casings and bullet holes were found in the walls of the home.
Police believe the suspects were after the keys to steal their cars, which are shipped overseas or used to commit crimes.
Police said the high-end cars are stolen and shipped abroad for resale or used for crimes here.
Jonathan Khan, 19, of Brampton, and a 16 and 15-year-old young offenders, are charged with 42 offences relating to attempted robberies, weapons, wearing a disguise and a slew of other crimes.
The three were nabbed by members of a recently-formed Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force (PCJTF) that was created to target violent car thefts. The Task Force has been fighting networks responsible for violent and high-risk auto thefts by criminal organizations.
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.