A man from Brampton, who police say was on house arrest for prior crimes, has been charged in connection to an armed carjacking at a gas station earlier this month.
It’s alleged that on Feb. 11 at around 11:30 a.m., a woman was refuelling her silver Mercedes Benz C300 sedan at a gas station when she was approached by two male suspects armed with knives.
Police said the two suspects demanded the woman’s keys, which she refused. The men then tried to grab the keys from her, punching her in the process.
The suspects were able to nab the keys and stole her vehicle, which was last seen southbound on Hurontario Street. The woman suffered minor injuries.
On Feb. 19, officers in York Region noticed a man driving the female victim’s stolen vehicle in the area of Weston Road and Rutherford Road in Vaughan. The sedan was stopped, and the driver was taken into custody.
Peel Regional Police said 24-year-old Varinder Singh of Brampton has been charged with robbery and wearing a disguise with intent. Authorities also recovered a knife during the investigation.
In addition to these charges, York Regional Police said Singh is also facing criminal offences, including possession of property obtained by crime and failing to comply with a release order.
The accused was held for a bail hearing in Peel Region.
Authorities noted that at the time of his arrest, Singh was on house arrest for two previous robberies, assault, mischief over $5,000, and failure to comply with a release order. He was also wanted on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court, police said.
This investigation is ongoing, and Peel Regional Police anticipate more charges could be laid.
