Police have arrested 4 suspects and are looking for one other in connection to a string of Ontario financial institution robberies over a two 12 months interval, together with one in Arkona.
The native maintain up occurred on April 4, 2023 and prompted a security warning from Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
The OPP held a information convention Tuesday to launch the outcomes of ‘Venture Opal’, and their findings led to 53 charges being laid.
They had been assisted by officers with the Barrie Police Service, Belleville Police Service, Durham Regional Police Service, Niagara Regional Police Service, and York Regional Police.
Police mentioned a complete of eight banks had been robbed throughout the province between December 8, 2022, and March 16, 2024.
In August 2023, the OPP’s Prison Investigation Department (CIB) turned concerned and officers recognized comparable traits within the robberies, which pointed to a single group of perpetrators.
Police mentioned the robberies concerned two or three suspects coming into the banks previous to closing.
It is alleged they wore completely different masks and clothes every time, and through all robberies, no less than one handgun was brandished however no accidents had been reported.
Within the final six robberies, financial institution workers had been certain, and investigators have decided the group of suspects is chargeable for greater than $2 million in reported losses throughout eight banks.
The cash has not but been recovered.
The OPP’s map of financial institution robberies investigated as a part of Venture Opal (Photograph courtesy of OPP)
The OPP mentioned on June 21, 2024, three suspects had been arrested throughout an tried theft in Discipline, Ontario, by OPP Techniques and Rescue Unit and the Aviation Unit, with assist from OPP West Nipissing Main Crime and CIB.
A fourth suspect was arrested on September 25, 2024 in Vaughan, and a fifth suspect was charged and stays needed.
Devonte Clark, 29, of Whitby, Keino Heath, 25, of Oshawa, David Newman, 24, of Ajax, and Roderick Newman, 32, of Cobourg had been all arrested.
Akeem Williams, 32, of Ajax, stays at giant.
In a information launch, OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns commented on the investigation.
“Venture Opal required intensive coordination throughout a number of police providers to establish and apprehend the suspects earlier than they might goal one other financial institution,” mentioned Kearns. “By means of their tireless work, they had been in a position to make sure no different sufferer needed to endure the worry and trauma of such an ordeal. I lengthen my gratitude to our Venture Opal members for his or her distinctive work and their unwavering dedication to public security.”
Anybody with data is requested to contact their native police service, the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
