On Tuesday, December 10, 2013, Staff Inspector Mike Earl of the Toronto Police Service's Hold Up Squad, in cooperation with the Canadian Bankers Association and Toronto Crime Stoppers, released security camera images and details relating to 12 men wanted in connection with various bank robberies in the Greater Toronto Area over the past seven years.
The allegations for each wanted man are as follows:
1) On Tuesday, November 28, 2006, at approximately 12:40 p.m., a man attended the TD Canada Trust Bank at 939 Lawrence Avenue East, approached the teller and passed a hold-up note indicating he was armed with a gun. He made off with a quantity of cash and a dye pack. Damaged money from this robbery was located a year later in the area of Wynford Drive and Eglinton Avenue West. The man is described as being in his mid-30s, 6', 200 lbs., and was described as "a little chubby."
2) The second suspect is believed to be responsible for two bank robberies in Brampton. On Friday, December 18, 2009, at 2:14 p.m., the suspect entered the TD Canada Trust branch at 10908 Hurontario Street, Brampton and committed a note-pass robbery. On Thursday, February 11, 2010, at 2:50 p.m., the same man entered the Royal Bank at 3068 Mayfield Road, Brampton and committed a second note-pass robbery. No weapons were seen in either robbery. The man is described as black, 23-29 at the time of the robberies, 5'9"-5'11", with a medium build and facial hair. In the 2009 robbery, he wore a Cleveland Browns baseball hat. In the 2010 robbery, he wore an Atlanta Braves baseball hat.
3) On Monday, July 12, 2010, the third wanted man entered five different banks in Oakville, Mississauga and Burlington. In each case, he produced a robbery note demanding a specific amount of money. He also indicated he had a gun and threatened to kill people. He is described as black, 18-22, 5'6", 130 lbs., with a gap between his front teeth and a quiet voice.
4) The fourth wanted man entered a CIBC branch on Sunday, October 1, 2010, at 946 Lawrence Avenue East, waited in line, approached the teller and displayed a note indicating he had a gun. The teller reacted by starting to back away from the counter, at which point the suspect grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer. He produced a knife and held it to the teller's neck. The teller handed over a quantity of money. The man then approached the next two tellers demanding more money. He eventually fled the bank, running towards Don Mills Road. He is described as white, 25-30, 5'10"- 6'1", unshaven, with short dark hair. He was wearing a black Blue Jays baseball hat, black hoodie with 'FOX' lettering and jeans. He was carrying a black laptop-type bag.
5) On Thursday, October 7, 2010, the fifth man entered the TD Canada Trust branch at 689 Evans Avenue, waited in line and approached a teller when it was his turn. He placed a note on the counter which indicated he was armed with a gun and demanded a quantity of money. He received the money and walked out the front doors. No weapon was seen. He is described as white, mid-40s, 5'8"-5'10", 170-190 lbs., with bright-blue eyes.
See previous release.
6) The sixth man committed two robberies in Toronto and two robberies in Hamilton between December 2010 and January 2011. In each case, he entered a CIBC branch and approached a teller, keeping his hat tilted low to cover his face. He slipped a note across the counter stating "this is a robbery," also indicating he was armed. He spoke with a deep voice. He put the money he received in a black knapsack he was carrying. He is described as white, mid-30s, 5'9"-5'11", 200 lbs., with a stocky build, clear glasses with black rims, and moustache with a thick goatee.
7) On Thursday, February 24, 2011, some time after 2 p.m., the seventh suspect entered the TD Canada Trust branch at 75 Bayly Street West, Ajax. He looked around then left the branch. He returned 10 minutes later. He approached the teller and presented a note demanding money. After receiving a quantity of money he left the branch in an unknown direction. He is described as black, 40s, 5'6". He was wearing a beige baseball cap with a symbol, beige-patterned jacket, baggy blue jeans and white running shoes.
8) On Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at approximately 1 p.m., the eighth suspect entered the TD Canada Trust Bank at 10381 Bayview Avenue, Richmond Hill. He approached a teller and displayed a robbery note which indicated he had a weapon. The teller handed over a quantity of money and the man fled. He is described as white, late-20s, 5'10", with a shaved head. He was wearing a dark-coloured suit and sunglasses. He has a thick scar on the left side of his face, from his ear to his neck.
9) The ninth man is wanted for two bank robberies in Markham and one in Richmond Hill in 2012. During these robberies, he entered the bank, yelled his demand for cash and approached a teller. He advised that he had a gun and threatened to shoot or kill everyone in the bank. In one instance he threatened to kill himself. He is described as white, 25-35, 5'6"-6', with a medium build. He was wearing a hooded jacket and carried a black handgun. Witnesses reported that he spoke with an "Eastern European" accent.
10) On Thursday August 2, 2012 at 3 p.m., the tenth suspect entered the Scotia Bank branch at 279 King Street East, Toronto. He approached a teller and said he was robbing the bank. He then showed the teller a note indicating that he was armed with a gun, but no gun was seen. He was given a quantity of money and fled the bank. He is described as black with a light complexion, 28-35, 5'10"-6', with a thin face and a distinctive nose.
See previous release.
11) On Friday, December 21, 2012, at 11:10 a.m., the 11th suspect entered the Scotiabank at 2479 Kingston Road, Toronto. He waited in line, wearing a dark-coloured scarf around his face, mentioning he had a cold. When he approached the teller, he handed over an orange-coloured bag and demanded money. He reached inside his coat pocket, indicating the possibility of possessing a weapon. He was handed a quantity of money, and fled the scene. He is described as white, 40-50, 5'7"-5'8", wearing a dark-coloured, three-quarter-length coat and a black touque with a "skulll and crossbones" motif.
See previous release.
12) On Saturday, April 13, 2013, at 10:25 a.m., the 12th man entered the CIBC at 2340 Finch Avenue West. He approached the teller and handed over a note indicating a hold up and that he was armed with a gun. He was given a quantity of money and he took back the note. He fled west on Finch Ave West. He is described as white with a dark complexion, 30-40, 5'6". He was wearing black trackpants with white stripes down the side, a black T-shirt with a grey hoodie and a black-and-red baseball cap.
See previous release.
William Crate, Director of Security for the Canadian Bankers Association, advised that, where Toronto Crime Stoppers pays a reward for information leading to the arrest of any of these suspects, the CBA will pay the tipster an additional 50% of that reward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
The allegations for each wanted man are as follows:
1) On Tuesday, November 28, 2006, at approximately 12:40 p.m., a man attended the TD Canada Trust Bank at 939 Lawrence Avenue East, approached the teller and passed a hold-up note indicating he was armed with a gun. He made off with a quantity of cash and a dye pack. Damaged money from this robbery was located a year later in the area of Wynford Drive and Eglinton Avenue West. The man is described as being in his mid-30s, 6', 200 lbs., and was described as "a little chubby."
2) The second suspect is believed to be responsible for two bank robberies in Brampton. On Friday, December 18, 2009, at 2:14 p.m., the suspect entered the TD Canada Trust branch at 10908 Hurontario Street, Brampton and committed a note-pass robbery. On Thursday, February 11, 2010, at 2:50 p.m., the same man entered the Royal Bank at 3068 Mayfield Road, Brampton and committed a second note-pass robbery. No weapons were seen in either robbery. The man is described as black, 23-29 at the time of the robberies, 5'9"-5'11", with a medium build and facial hair. In the 2009 robbery, he wore a Cleveland Browns baseball hat. In the 2010 robbery, he wore an Atlanta Braves baseball hat.
3) On Monday, July 12, 2010, the third wanted man entered five different banks in Oakville, Mississauga and Burlington. In each case, he produced a robbery note demanding a specific amount of money. He also indicated he had a gun and threatened to kill people. He is described as black, 18-22, 5'6", 130 lbs., with a gap between his front teeth and a quiet voice.
4) The fourth wanted man entered a CIBC branch on Sunday, October 1, 2010, at 946 Lawrence Avenue East, waited in line, approached the teller and displayed a note indicating he had a gun. The teller reacted by starting to back away from the counter, at which point the suspect grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer. He produced a knife and held it to the teller's neck. The teller handed over a quantity of money. The man then approached the next two tellers demanding more money. He eventually fled the bank, running towards Don Mills Road. He is described as white, 25-30, 5'10"- 6'1", unshaven, with short dark hair. He was wearing a black Blue Jays baseball hat, black hoodie with 'FOX' lettering and jeans. He was carrying a black laptop-type bag.
5) On Thursday, October 7, 2010, the fifth man entered the TD Canada Trust branch at 689 Evans Avenue, waited in line and approached a teller when it was his turn. He placed a note on the counter which indicated he was armed with a gun and demanded a quantity of money. He received the money and walked out the front doors. No weapon was seen. He is described as white, mid-40s, 5'8"-5'10", 170-190 lbs., with bright-blue eyes.
See previous release.
6) The sixth man committed two robberies in Toronto and two robberies in Hamilton between December 2010 and January 2011. In each case, he entered a CIBC branch and approached a teller, keeping his hat tilted low to cover his face. He slipped a note across the counter stating "this is a robbery," also indicating he was armed. He spoke with a deep voice. He put the money he received in a black knapsack he was carrying. He is described as white, mid-30s, 5'9"-5'11", 200 lbs., with a stocky build, clear glasses with black rims, and moustache with a thick goatee.
7) On Thursday, February 24, 2011, some time after 2 p.m., the seventh suspect entered the TD Canada Trust branch at 75 Bayly Street West, Ajax. He looked around then left the branch. He returned 10 minutes later. He approached the teller and presented a note demanding money. After receiving a quantity of money he left the branch in an unknown direction. He is described as black, 40s, 5'6". He was wearing a beige baseball cap with a symbol, beige-patterned jacket, baggy blue jeans and white running shoes.
8) On Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at approximately 1 p.m., the eighth suspect entered the TD Canada Trust Bank at 10381 Bayview Avenue, Richmond Hill. He approached a teller and displayed a robbery note which indicated he had a weapon. The teller handed over a quantity of money and the man fled. He is described as white, late-20s, 5'10", with a shaved head. He was wearing a dark-coloured suit and sunglasses. He has a thick scar on the left side of his face, from his ear to his neck.
9) The ninth man is wanted for two bank robberies in Markham and one in Richmond Hill in 2012. During these robberies, he entered the bank, yelled his demand for cash and approached a teller. He advised that he had a gun and threatened to shoot or kill everyone in the bank. In one instance he threatened to kill himself. He is described as white, 25-35, 5'6"-6', with a medium build. He was wearing a hooded jacket and carried a black handgun. Witnesses reported that he spoke with an "Eastern European" accent.
10) On Thursday August 2, 2012 at 3 p.m., the tenth suspect entered the Scotia Bank branch at 279 King Street East, Toronto. He approached a teller and said he was robbing the bank. He then showed the teller a note indicating that he was armed with a gun, but no gun was seen. He was given a quantity of money and fled the bank. He is described as black with a light complexion, 28-35, 5'10"-6', with a thin face and a distinctive nose.
See previous release.
11) On Friday, December 21, 2012, at 11:10 a.m., the 11th suspect entered the Scotiabank at 2479 Kingston Road, Toronto. He waited in line, wearing a dark-coloured scarf around his face, mentioning he had a cold. When he approached the teller, he handed over an orange-coloured bag and demanded money. He reached inside his coat pocket, indicating the possibility of possessing a weapon. He was handed a quantity of money, and fled the scene. He is described as white, 40-50, 5'7"-5'8", wearing a dark-coloured, three-quarter-length coat and a black touque with a "skulll and crossbones" motif.
See previous release.
12) On Saturday, April 13, 2013, at 10:25 a.m., the 12th man entered the CIBC at 2340 Finch Avenue West. He approached the teller and handed over a note indicating a hold up and that he was armed with a gun. He was given a quantity of money and he took back the note. He fled west on Finch Ave West. He is described as white with a dark complexion, 30-40, 5'6". He was wearing black trackpants with white stripes down the side, a black T-shirt with a grey hoodie and a black-and-red baseball cap.
See previous release.
William Crate, Director of Security for the Canadian Bankers Association, advised that, where Toronto Crime Stoppers pays a reward for information leading to the arrest of any of these suspects, the CBA will pay the tipster an additional 50% of that reward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.