Three suspects were recently arrested in connection with a series of four robberies of mobile phone shops located in Montreal and on the South Shore, a phenomenon that has become increasingly frequent in Quebec.
Posted at 8:13 p.m.
On June 30, the South Criminal Investigation Section of the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) arrested Rene Cedrique Benda, 23, Mayard Nelson Jean-Baptiste, 20, and Gabriel Djibril Adragna. , 19 years old.
The latter appeared at the Montreal courthouse to face various charges, including robbery, use of an imitation firearm during the commission of an offence, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, disguise with criminal intent and carrying a concealed weapon.
Their arrests allowed the Montreal police to get their hands on various pieces of evidence during searches, including cell phones, a handgun and clothing.
Two vehicles presumably used during the events were also seized and analyzed, the SPVM announced on Monday.
Members of a network
The robberies attributed to the three suspects took place from May 18 to 20, in mobile phone shops located in Montreal, in the boroughs of Verdun, Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and Rivière-des- Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles, and in a shopping center in Brossard.
The latter would belong to a criminal network, potentially responsible for other crimes of the same kind, indicates the SPVM.
“Anyone holding information allowing the identification of receivers and clients linked to this network is invited to communicate with 911 or their neighborhood station”, specifies the police force in a press release.
If it is not necessarily linked to other events, the arrest of these three suspects comes as Quebec is experiencing a wave of thefts in cell phone shops.
Wave of flights
In mid-June, The Press had identified at least 20 armed robberies in Videotron stores, but also La Source, Fido, Bell, Rogers and Telus, in just two months. These took place in Saint-Eustache, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jérôme and Vaudreuil, among others.
Since then, Videotron stores have permanently locked the doors of their businesses. Customers must show their face and show ID to enter.
However, once the phones are reported stolen, they cannot be activated in Canada as they are blacklisted by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.
Since the end of April, police officers from Saint-Jérôme, Montreal and Lévis have managed to arrest at least 11 suspects, aged 15 to 23, but the thefts have continued despite everything.