Police in Canada arrested seven people in connection to a violent million-dollar heist of a business in Toronto in April, releasing surveillance footage showing the armed robbery on Tuesday.
The robbery took place the morning of April 1 at a business near Pearson International Airport that is used for refilling privately owned ATMs, Toronto Police Inspector Richard Harris said during a press conference Tuesday.
Two masked, armed men allegedly entered the business, forcing two employees to let them into the cash vault. They allegedly loaded garbage bags with more than $1 million in cash, Harris said.
They then fled the scene in an awaiting getaway car, which was driving “in tandem” with another vehicle, Harris said.
He also said there was “some sort of a level of planning” in the robbery.
Police released surveillance video of the robbery Tuesday. The two-minute video showed the suspects forcing one of the employees into the building and approaching the other employee at their desk, forcing them into the room where the money was kept. The employees were shown being violently forced to the ground while the suspects took the cash and left.
Police made a break in the case on May 17, when an attempted home invasion took place just a few miles northeast of the airport. Armed suspects allegedly tried to enter a unit but were unable, fleeing before police arrived.
While officers were at the scene checking on the well-being of the occupants, they found about $160,000 determined to have been stolen during the robbery, Harris said.
As a result of the investigation, police were able to identify four suspects involved in the April 1 robbery.
Several months later on September 9, police arrested 23-year-old Devante Virgo and 22-year-old Courtni Martin and located a 9mm Glock handgun and ammunition from their vehicle.
The same day and on September 10, police executed four more search warrants and arrested 22-year-old Andrew Parsons, 36-year-old Phillip Nkrumah, 26-year-old Gabrielle Belsito, 26-year-old Michelle Belsito, and 37-year-old Stephanie Nkrumah.
Police continue searching for 22-year-old Emmanuel Rawson, who is described as potentially being armed and dangerous. Police urge anyone who sees him to call 911. Police do not know his whereabouts.
Superintendent Ron Taverner praised investigators for their work on the case, saying it took “many, many hours” of work that potentially saved lives.
“These firearms that have been taken off the street have possibly saved many lives,” he said.
Out of the executed search warrants, police seized cash and other items, as well as a large amount of drugs and guns, Harris said. Many of the firearms are not legally allowed to be owned in Canada, he said.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call police at 416-808-7350 or anonymously contact the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 416-222-8477.
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