Toronto Police Seek Public Assistance in Locating Suspects in ‘Extremely Violent Robberies’

Toronto Police Seek Public Assistance in Locating Suspects in ‘Extremely Violent Robberies’
A Toronto Police Services logo is shown at headquarters in Toronto on Aug. 9, 2019. Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press
Andrew Chen
Updated:
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The Toronto Police Service (TPS) is seeking public support in their hunt for several suspects involved in cases of “extremely violent robberies,” home invasions, and carjackings that occurred in 2022. Many of the suspects are said to be “armed and dangerous.”

TPS Insp. Rich Harris shared the details of the criminal incidents at a press conference on Jan. 23.

The first incident took place on the evening of July 29, 2022. At around 8 p.m. that day, three suspects barged into a hair salon located near the area of Kennedy Road and McNicoll Avenue in Toronto. One of the suspects brandished a handgun and ordered everyone to the floor and subsequently took money from the cash register, along with a handbag belonging to one of the customers, before fleeing the scene on foot.

Harris said a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Ibrahim Mohammed, a 22-year-old resident of the Durham Region, who faces charges of robbery with a firearm, disguise with intent, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. The police said he is a black male with light brown complexion. He is described as five-foot-nine with a medium build, short curly hair, and possibly unshaven, and is believed to be “armed and dangerous.”

Harris said the other unidentified suspects are described as being male, black, and five-foot-ten to six-foot tall.

Carjackings

In a second incident, Harris described a pair of carjackings that took place on Sept. 30 and Nov. 6, 2022.
The first occurred shortly after midnight near the area of Bathurst Street and Eglinton Avenue West. The two suspects stalked the victim, who drove a 2017 Ferrari with an estimated value of $1 million. The victim, accompanied by another person, was exiting the vehicle and making their way toward a residence when the suspects, driving in a dark-coloured BMW, approached the victim and demanded the keys to the Ferrari.

In the second carjacking, one suspect accosted the victim, owner of a 2018 Ferrari, near the area of St. Clair Avenue West and Avenue Road. The suspect walked up to the victim holding a knife and aggressively fumbled in the victim’s pockets until the keys to the Ferrari were found. The suspect then drove off in the $300,000 Ferrari, followed by an accomplice in another vehicle.

Harris said both stolen vehicles have since been recovered.

The police have identified four suspects responsible for the two carjackings; among them, three were arrested last November.

One suspect who remains at large is identified as Ryan Tyson, a 23-year-old Toronto resident. A warrant has been issued in relation to his role in the carjacking, and he is facing charges including two counts of robbery with a weapon, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

Harris told Toronto Star last year that the city is seeing a “staggering” rise in carjackings and armed robberies involving youth.

“So far the numbers are on par with last year’s numbers,” he said on Jan. 23, adding that the authorities resolved 171 cases last year.

He noted that the high-end vehicles that were stolen could be sold domestically or abroad for profit, while the less expensive vehicles being stolen could be utilized in various other crimes.

‘Violent Home Invasion’

Harris said the third incident involved a violent home invasion that took place the evening of Nov. 30, 2022, at approximately 8:45 p.m. Two armed male suspects wearing ski masks approached a victim in the underground parking lot of a condominium located in the Liberty Street and Dufferin Street area.

The suspects got into the victim’s vehicle and pointed a handgun at the victim, who was then handcuffed and had their head covered in a ski mask. The suspects then escorted the victim up to their condominium unit where another tenant was present. The tenant was also restrained, and the suspects proceeded to ransack the unit.

Harris said a third victim who later arrived at the unit and confronted the suspects was shot three times. The victim survived, but was left with “life-altering injuries.”

A suspect has been identified as Boaz Frimpong, 28, of Toronto. He is described as six-foot-one, 240 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.