An seven-month long investigation spanning all across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) finally came to an end with six arrests.
Earlier this month, it was reported by the Toronto Police Service that Project Repeater came to a close. More than $980,000 in stolen property was recovered. Every stolen item was linked to a series of carjackings, pharmacy robberies, and financial institution robberies.
Between Sunday, August 21st, 2022 and Saturday, March 18th, 2023, officers from Toronto, Peel, York, and Halton, alongside 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.
During the 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 30th, seven Criminal Code Search Warrants in relation to this investigation were executed. 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
29-year-old Amir Inyat 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
A 25-year-old Brampton resident was charged with:
- six counts of Robbery with Firearm
- Robbery
- Theft of Motor Vehicle
- eight counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
32-year-old Mohammad Habib of Toronto was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery with Firearm
- two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
21-year-old Kausar Rahimzada of Toronto was charged with:
- Accessory to Dual Procedure Offence
The final suspect was already in custody on another matter.
22-year-old Steven Singh of Brampton was charged with:
- four counts of Robbery With Firearm
- Theft of Motor Vehicle
- 15 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence
Singh’s previous charges include:
- 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
A 15-year old unnamed Toronto male 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)
All four men and the 21-year old woman appeared in court for a Bail Hearing on March 30th at Toronto North Court.
Singh is scheduled to appear again in court on Monday, April 24th, at 10:00 a.m., at Toronto North Court.
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.
Watch the press conference here.
