TORONTO -- A 17-year-old boy is among those charged in connection with a string of robberies that occurred throughout the Greater Toronto Area over the last five months.

The suspect is one of eight young men facing charges in several robberies of cell phone stores, pharmacies and retail stores that allegedly took place between November 4, 2020 and March 9, 2021.

Police said that the suspects used “numerous stolen vehicles” to travel to and from the various locations in Toronto, Peel, York, and Halton regions and Alliston, Ont.

“They would enter the target locations and use threats, violence and weapons to take over employees,” police said in a news release issued Friday.

The suspects would then load up with stolen merchandise before fleeing in their getaway vehicle, police said.

Investigators with the Toronto Police Hold Up Squad, with support from Peel, York, O.P.P. and Halton Police, were able to identify the suspects and issued a news release on March 12 regarding six arrests.

At that time, 19-year-old Jamal Blenman, and five other suspects between the ages of 15 and 17, were charged with a number of offences in connection with the robberies.

Police said they had been searching for 18-year-old Bobby Osagie and an unnamed 17-year-old male as part of their investigation. Osagie was arrested and charged on March 24.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was arrested on April 22 and is now facing multiple charges, including two counts of robbery with a firearm and two counts of disguise with intent.