Police arrest 4 men, 1 wanted for bank robberies in Ontario

Police say they have arrested four men and are looking for another in connection with a string of bank robberies across Ontario that spanned nearly two years and netted more than $2 million.

Eight banks were robbed between Dec. 8, 2022, and March 16, 2024, in areas controlled by the OPP, Barrie Police, Belleville Police, Durham Police, Niagara Police and York Police, the OPP said in a news release Tuesday.

The report says that two or three people who entered banks before closing took part in the robbery. During each robbery, they wore different masks and clothes.

The OPP has released security camera footage from a robbery in Ferversham, Ont., on May 19, 2023, which shows a man walking into the bank wearing a cowboy hat and a white face covering and holding a gun. Another person wearing a ghost mask follows them into the bank.

A man in a cowboy hat can be seen placing a gun on a rack to rummage through a bank drawer. Later, both left the building with a red bag.

At least one gun was displayed during all of the robberies, but no one was injured, the OPP said. Bank employees were tied up in the last six robberies.

Witnesses “experienced significant emotional stress”

About 20 people were inside the banks during the robberies, OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns said during a news conference Tuesday.

“While there were no physical injuries, the people involved in this horrific effort suffered significant emotional stress and trauma,” Kearns said.

The OPP said the group was responsible for more than $2 million in damages. According to them, the money has not been returned yet.

Kearns said individual police agencies investigated the robberies within their jurisdictions, but soon realized they were not isolated incidents.

“Rather, these interconnected robberies indicated a larger, more coordinated operation,” he said.

He said the OPP’s Criminal Investigation Division was involved in the investigation to improve coordination between police services.

Kearns said investigators used patterns to identify similar robberies in other jurisdictions. According to him, the police investigation “disrupted” the ninth bank robbery.

On June 21 of this year, the OPP arrested three men during an attempted robbery in Field, Ontario.

A 25-year-old man from Oshawa, a 24-year-old man from Ajax and a 32-year-old man from Coburg, Ont., have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, one count of robbery with violence and one count of possession property obtained by crime in the amount of less than $5,000.

The 32-year-old man is also facing multiple firearms charges, as well as four counts each of forcible confinement and masking with intent.

A fourth man, a 29-year-old Whitby resident, was arrested in Vaughan on September 25 by the OPP and York Police. He faces multiple firearms charges and one count each of conspiracy to commit a felony, disguise with intent, robbery with violence and forcible confinement.

The 32-year-old from Ajax remains wanted

A fifth man, a 32-year-old Ajax man, has been charged but remains wanted, police said. OPP Det.-Insp. Brian McDermott said the man is likely not in Ontario.

He is charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit a felony, forcible confinement, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, as well as several firearms-related charges .

Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts is asked to stay away from him and contact police immediately, McDermott said.

Five defendants were charged with 53 charges.

Police said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact their local police, OPP or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.