Two men and a teenage girl have been arrested in connection with a string of violent robberies targeting female sex trade workers in Toronto.

During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Toronto police Staff. Insp. Mike Earl told reporters that the women were attacked during five separate robberies at hotels across Toronto between Oct. 25 and Dec. 9. Police said three suspects, two men and another teenage girl, are still at large.

The two most recent robberies occurred yesterday morning, Earl said.

Police were called to an Etobicoke hotel on Carlingview Drive Tuesday morning for a reported robbery. Earl said a 22-year-old escort had set up an appointment with a client at around 5 a.m. but when he arrived, she was violently attacked by three men.

“She was forced naked and forced into sex acts by two of the suspects,” Earl said.

The men fled with her cellphone, cash and clothing.

When police located one of the suspects in a car on Steeles Avenue at around 3 p.m. Tuesday, a woman was found in the back seat. Earl said the female was a victim from an earlier unreported robbery. The 29-year-old woman, Earl said, was attacked at a Scarborough hotel at around 1 a.m. Tuesday. The suspects attempted to rob her but when she didn’t have enough cash on hand, Earl said the three men took her hostage. The men later set up a meeting with the victim’s boyfriend, who was told to bring money for her release.

When the boyfriend arrived, he was assaulted and robbed and the suspects refused to let the victim go, Earl said.

According to investigators, the three other robberies occurred in west-end hotels on Oct. 25, Oct. 27 and Dec. 7. Earl said all of the victims targeted had advertised their services on Backpage, a free classified ad website, where the suspects were able to get contact information for the women. One suspect would pose as a client to set up a meeting at a hotel. When the victims answered the door, the suspects would force their way in, ransack the rooms and make off with whatever valuables they could find.

Earl said yesterday’s attack at the hotel in Etobicoke was the only instance where sexual assault occurred.

Only one of the suspects in custody was involved in all of the robberies.

Lenford Richards, 20, of Toronto, faces six counts of robbery, six counts of forcible confinement, one count of possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, five counts of failing to comply with a court order and one count of gang sexual assault.

Kevin Baigorria, 22, of Toronto has been charged with four counts of robbery, four counts of forcible confinement and one count of possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes.

A 17-year-old female, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with four counts of robbery and four counts of forcible confinement.

Given the recent attacks, police are asking sex trade workers to be “vigilant” in their customer screening process.

“They don’t know who they are meeting… they are very vulnerable,” Earl said.

“They need to take precautions to make sure that they are not going to make themselves victims.”

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350.