Two men are facing kidnapping, robbery, and firearms-related charges following a home invasion in north Etobicoke earlier this week.
Toronto police say on Wednesday, just after 12:45 a.m., they were called to a residence in the Rexdale neighbourhood, near Martin Grove Road and John Garland Boulevard, for reports of a person with a gun.
Investigators say a male arrived at the home in a red Honda Civic late Tuesday night. Four suspects in a vehicle pulled up at the residence a short time later.
Three of them then allegedly approached the victim, as another suspect produced a handgun.
Victims kidnapped, held at gun-point: police
Police say the suspect then forced the victim into the back of his own car and drove away with him, while the suspect vehicle followed in tandem.
The suspects allegedly drove around for about an hour, until around midnight, “holding the victim at gun-point while making demands,” before returning to the original residence, police said in a release.
“When the victim first pulled up to the home, the homeowner was not home at the time. They were buying time for the homeowner to return home,” Insp. Kristy Smith, of Toronto Police Service’s Hold Up Squad, said during a Thursday afternoon news conference.
Investigators say the homeowner then approached the vehicle in the driveway, and the suspects forced both victims into the residence.
A third victim, who was sleeping inside the home at that time, was woken up and all three victims were held at gunpoint, according to police.
Home robbed
At that point, another suspect allegedly produced a shotgun and demanded the victims hand over valuables. Police said the suspect then took a quantity of cash, jewelry, clothing, electronics, and cannabis, as well as the keys to two vehicles belonging to the victims, before fleeing the area in both victims’ vehicles and the suspect vehicle.
Toronto police have not elaborated in any detail on the relationship between the three victims. They would only say that the homeowner is believed to be the person the suspects were looking for, while the initial victim was an acquaintance. No further details have been provided about the other victim who was asleep in the home.
“We have no information to suggest that the initial victim in the red Honda Civic was targeted,” Smith noted.
Police seize 2 stolen vehicles
Investigators further allege that at about 1:45 a.m. on Dec. 3, officers observed both stolen vehicles near Highway 401 and Weston Road.
They said they were able to block the Honda before a suspect exited and attempted to run away.
He allegedly then pointed a loaded handgun at the officers before being taken into custody.
Police said at the time of arrest, officers seized a loaded handgun.
A short time later, the other stolen vehicle, a blue Ford F-150 belonging to the homeowner, was found and tracked to a dead-end street near Albion Road and Islington Avenue.
Police say the driver of that vehicle “charged” a scout car before fleeing in it. They did not say if any officers were inside of the police cruiser at that time or if any injuries were sustained.
Members of the Emergency Task Force located the Ford at about 3 a.m., near St. Clair Avenue West and Runnymede Road.
Police say they saw a suspect fleeing on foot and took him into custody after a short foot pursuit.
Jermain Smith, 35, and Tajahan Kelly, 30, both of Toronto, are each facing several charges.
They were both scheduled to appear in bail court the morning of Dec. 3.
“We are continuing to seek the public’s assistance to identify and locate the other two individuals believed to be involved in this kidnaping and home invasion,” the inspector said.
The first outstanding suspect, whom Supt. Richard Harris, of 12 Division, said was inside the Honda during the kidnapping, is only described as a Black male with a Jamaican accent.
Investigators have not provided a description for the second outstanding suspect, nor the suspect vehicle.
They previously said one of the suspects was a Black male last seen wearing all-black clothing, who fled the scene in a light-coloured vehicle.
Police still searching for suspect vehicle
“We are trying to find the suspect vehicle, the third vehicle, which we don’t have. We’re hoping that people will see the photos of the two seized vehicles and send us any footage they have, as the suspect vehicle might be in the frame as well, which will help us identify it and the driver,” Toronto Police Service a spokesperson Stephanie Sayer told CP24, adding police don’t know at this point if the suspect vehicle is stolen.
The Hold Up Squad, with the assistance of responding officers from 12 and 23 Divisions and members of the Emergency Task Force and Police Dog Services, are all involved in this investigation.
Anyone who was in the area of Martin Grove and John Garland between 11:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., or Weston Road and Highway 401, the Crossroads Plaza, or Runnymede Road and St. Clair Avenue West between 1 and 3 a.m., and has any video footage to contact Toronto police at 416-808-7350 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Allison Hurst and CP24’s Codi Wilson
