Two teenagers have been taken into custody and a third outstanding suspect is sought by police after an armed bank robbery took place in Durham Region on Monday afternoon.
Durham Regional Police said two suspects entered a Scotiabank branch on Highway 2 in Courtice at around 1 p.m. Officers allege the suspects were armed with handguns at the time.
Before fleeing the scene, the suspects allegedly made a demand for an unknown amount of cash.
No injuries were reported in this alleged incident.
The suspect vehicle was located by police heading onto Highway 401 at Stevenson Road in Oshawa. Officers managed to stop the suspect vehicle by boxing it in, but multiple police cruisers were then struck as the suspect vehicle fled the area.
Investigators said a Durham officer discharged a firearm at this time but no injuries were reported.
The suspect vehicle then headed westbound on Highway 401 before losing control and landing in a ditch near Salem Road in Ajax. Police said the three suspects then allegedly fled on foot into a “wooded area.”
Footage captured by the CP24 chopper at the time showed police officers and members of the canine unit searching the area where the vehicle was abandoned.
Durham Regional Police Const. George Tudos confirmed to CP24 at around 5 p.m. on Monday that two of the three suspects had been taken into custody in connection with this investigation. He also said a handgun and a replica firearm were seized.
An 18-year-old and 17-year-old male arrested in connection with the case were located hiding in an Ajax residential neighbourhood in the area of Miles Drive and Wicks Drive, police said.
No charges have been laid.
“We’re currently still seeking a third suspect and we have set up another perimeter and we’re going to be searching the area once again in efforts to try to locate a third suspect,” Tudos said.
The third suspect has been described as a black male with a thin build standing six-feet tall.
At the height of the police search members of the Ontario Provincial Police and the Toronto Police Services assisted Durham Regional Police.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said roads were blocked off in the area to accommodate a ground search at the time.
“Our helicopter is on station there assisting with the ground search and that will continue,” he said. “Our canine units are there as well alongside Durham Regional Police’s support services and there will be more resources coming in and obviously uniformed officers to assist with the investigation.”
“This will be led primarily by Durham Regional Police but because the vehicle was located on Highway 401 obviously we’re going to assist with them.”
Anyone with further information is asked to call police at 1-888-579-1520, ext. 5355 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
