Police are investigating a series of car thefts that occurred overnight in the Greater Toronto Area, including an incident in which a man was whipped with a gun.
On Wednesday, a woman was sitting in her vehicle in the area of Sheppard Avenue and Whites Road in Pickering around 10:40 p.m.
Durham Regional Police said she was approached by a man who knocked on her window, but she refused to comply with his demands to lower the window.
The man proceeded to lift his shirt to show off his waist and she walked away quickly, police said.
Shortly afterwards, a man was in the area of Kingston and Brock Roads in Pickering, around 11:15 p.m., when a man approached him as he was getting out of his vehicle.
The man showed a firearm and asked for the victim’s keys, but the victim refused and was hit in the head with a firearm, according to police.
The victim punched the suspect in the face and was able to flee, police said. The suspect then fled the area.
The victim suffered unknown injuries.
Police believe the same suspect is related to the two incidents. He is described as 25 years old, dark-skinned, thin-bodied, 5 to 5 feet eleven inches tall, and wearing black clothing, a black mask, and armed with a black or gray pistol.
Meanwhile, four armed car thefts took place over two hours overnight in Scarborough, and police believe they are all connected.
The first happened around 11:44 p.m., in the McLevin Avenue and Greenspire Road area.
Police said a person was on the sidewalk next to his vehicle when a man approached them with a gun and asked for his vehicle.
The suspect was unsuccessful and fled the scene.
Five minutes later, police responded to a car theft in the area of Morningside and Sheppard avenues.
A person was in his vehicle on his sidewalk when a man approached them with a firearm and asked for his vehicle, police said.
The suspect fled the scene with the victim’s vehicle.
Officers then responded to a third car theft on Kennedy Road and Glamorgan Avenue at 12:32 p.m.
A person was reportedly parking his vehicle when a man approached them, pulled out a gun and ordered his vehicle.
The suspect then fled in the victim’s vehicle, police said.
A fourth car theft was reported 45 minutes later at 1:15 a.m. in the Pharmacy and McNicoll Avenue area.
A person was on his sidewalk when a man approached them, pulled out a firearm and ordered his vehicle.
Police said the suspect was unsuccessful and fled the area.
No one was injured in any of the four incidents.
The stolen vehicles include a 2012 gray Toyota Corolla with Ontario BSNR 776 license plate and a white 2020 Honda Civic with Ontario CPNJ 623 license plate.
For all car thefts, the suspects’ vehicles are described as a black four-door Honda sedan and an older dark blue or black four-door Toyota sedan.
Investigators said all suspects should be considered armed and dangerous.
Toronto has been dealing with a burglary of car thefts this month.
Last week, police said there had been 60 car thefts so far this year, surpassing the total number of car thefts by 2021.
Toronto Maple Leafs striker Mitch Marner was one of the victims and his Range Rover was stolen at gunpoint last week. He was not injured in the incident.
Anyone with surveillance footage in these areas or any information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (416) 222-8477.
CAR SUPPORT: Morningside Ave and Sheppard Ave E- reports of car theft- police or / s- car theft confirmed- 1 suspect involved, firearm seen- vehicle stolen- no injuries reported – ongoing research – any information call 416-808-2222 # GO986615 ^ al
– Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) May 26, 2022