The Toronto Police Service arrested five people on February 18 in connection with a cannabis store robbery on the same day.
The robbery occurred at approximately 10:36 pm in the Lawrence Avenue East and Birchmount Road area, following a suspicious incident nearby at a different cannabis store where the same men were allegedly refused entry.
The incidents began on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at approximately 8:41 pm when police responded to a call about a suspicious incident at a cannabis store in the Wilson Avenue and Bathurst Street area near the 401 expressway.
Police allege that first, five male suspects who were travelling in a stolen Honda Civic attended a cannabis store wearing masks to disguise their identities. Four of the suspects then approached the locked front door of the cannabis store and began banging on it to request entry.
It is further alleged that an employee observed one suspect holding a knife, so they refused to unlock the door, with the suspects fleeing the area empty-handed in the awaiting stolen Honda Civic.
Then, at approximately 10:36 pm, police responded to a report of a robbery at a cannabis store in the Lawrence Avenue East and Birchmount Road area, where four of the same five men are said to have entered the premises armed with a knife and a mallet while making demands for cash and cannabis.
The men smashed several glass display cases and removed the contents. They took an employee’s wallet and a quantity of cannabis products before fleeing back to the awaiting stolen Honda Civic.
Uniformed officers from 41 Division say they quickly responded to the area and located the fleeing stolen Honda Civic.
A police vehicle allegedly collided with the Honda Civic, causing the Civic to get stuck in a snowbank, with the suspects fleeing on foot. The responding officers were able to take all five suspects into custody after a short foot pursuit.
At the time of the arrests, officers say they recovered the stolen vehicle and a quantity of the stolen cannabis.
Javane Allen, 28, of Jamaica, was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery With an Offensive Weapon
- two counts of Disguise With Intent
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Fail to Comply With Release Order
He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10 am, in room 103.
Makeel Christie, 25, of Toronto, was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery With an Offensive Weapon
- two counts of Disguise With Intent
- Assault With Intent to Resist Arrest
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Possession of Proceeds of Crime Under $5000
- Fail to Comply With Probation Order
He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10 am, in room 103.
Engel Jaquez-Morel, 18, of Toronto, was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery With an Offensive Weapon
- two counts of Disguise With Intent
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10 am, in room 103.
A male youth, 17, of Toronto, was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery With an Offensive Weapon
- two counts of Disguise With Intent
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Fail to Comply with YCJA Sentence Order
He was scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice, 10 Armoury Street, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10 am, in room 606.
A male youth, 15, of Toronto, was charged with:
- two counts of Robbery With an Offensive Weapon
- two counts of Disguise With Intent
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
He was scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice, 10 Armoury Street, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10 am, in room 606.
