A 25-year-old man is facing charges after he allegedly stole a pack of cigarettes from a Scarborough store and then fought with two responding police officers, causing them to sustain minor injuries.
Uniformed officers responded to the call in the area of Merrian and Kennedy roads on Jan. 26.
Police say that the man entered the store and approached the checkout counter, where he requested to purchase a pack of cigarettes
The man then grabbed the pack off the counter and walked away, police say.
It is further alleged that the man then placed his hand in his pocket and indicated he had a firearm before exiting the store.
Police say that a store employee ultimately followed the man and was attacked and knocked to the ground.
Officers subsequently attended the scene and located the man, however a struggle ensued prior to his arrest.
“The man refused to surrender himself and began to fight the officers causing minor injuries. The officers were eventually able to subdue the man and take him into custody,” police said in a news release.
Police say that the suspect is also facing charges in connection with a robbery in the Lawrence Avenue East and Kennedy Road area on Jan. 19.
Police say the suspect in that incident entered a store and approached the checkout counter. The man spoke with an employee and an argument about his purchase ensued. It is alleged that the man went behind the counter and forcibly shoved the employee out of the way before taking a quantity of cigarettes and fleeing on foot.
Anthony Ghanavati, 25, of Toronto is charged with two counts of robbery, assaulting a peace officer and possession property obtained by crime
He was scheduled to appear in Toronto East Court Friday.
