Man pistol-whipped in one of six carjackings overnight in the GTA

Police are investigating a string of carjackings that occurred overnight in the Greater Toronto Area, including one incident where a man was pistol-whipped.

On Wednesday, a female was sitting in her vehicle in the area of Sheppard Avenue and Whites Road in Pickering, at around 10:40 p.m.

Durham Regional Police said she was approached by a man who knocked on her window but she refused to comply with his demands to roll down her window.

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The man proceeded to lift up his shirt to show his waistband and she quickly drove away, police said.

A short time later, a male was in the area of Kingston and Brock roads in Pickering, at around 11:15 p.m., when he was approached by a man as he exited his vehicle.

The man showed a firearm and demanded the victim’s keys but the victim refused and was struck in the head with the firearm, according to police.

The victim punched the suspect in the face and was able to run away, police said. The suspect then fled the area.

The victim sustained unknown injuries.

Police believe the same suspect is connected to both incidents. He is described as 25 years old, with dark skin, a thin build, standing at five-foot-eight to five-foot-eleven inches tall and was wearing all black clothing, a black mask and armed with a black or grey handgun.

Meanwhile, four armed carjackings happened within the span of two hours overnight in Scarborough, and police believe they are all connected.

The first happened at around 11:44 p.m., in the area of McLevin Avenue and Greenspire Road.

Police said a person was in their driveway beside their vehicle when a man approached them with a handgun and demanded their vehicle.

The suspect was unsuccessful and fled the scene.

Five minutes later, police responded to a carjacking in the area of Morningside and Sheppard avenues.

A person was in their vehicle in their driveway when a man approached them with a firearm and demanded their vehicle, police said.

The suspect fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle.

Officers then responded to a third carjacking at Kennedy Road and Glamorgan Avenue, at 12:32 a.m.

A person was reportedly parking their vehicle when a man approached them, produced a handgun and demanded their vehicle.

The suspect then fled in the victim’s vehicle, police said.

A fourth carjacking was reported 45 minutes later at 1:15 a.m., in the area of Pharmacy and McNicoll avenues.

A person was in their driveway when a man approached them, produced a firearm and demanded their vehicle.

Police said the suspect was unsuccessful and fled the area.

No one was injured in any of the four incidents.

The stolen vehicles include a 2012 grey Toyota Corolla with Ontario licence plate BSNR 776 and a 2020 white Honda Civic with Ontario licence plate CPNJ 623.

For all of the carjackings, the suspects’ vehicles are described as a black, four-door Honda sedan and a dark blue or black, four-door older model Toyota sedan.

Investigators said all suspects should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 416-808-2222 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at [phone].

The city is currently dealing with a rash of carjackings as there have been more than 60 so far in 2022, surpassing the total number of carjackings in 2021.

Last week, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner’s Range Rover was stolen at gunpoint outside of a movie theatre in Etobicoke. He was uninjured in the incident.