Toronto police have charged three minors with breaking and entering after evacuated residents of an east end apartment building returned to their units to find they had been ransacked.
Tenants at 2 Secord Avenue were forced from their homes a week ago after an explosion in a hydro vault under their building. They were allowed 15 minutes to go back in to the building this weekend, and 11 tenants found out they'd been robbed.
Police arrested three suspects Saturday evening -- two males and a female, ages 13, 15 and 17. They won't say whether they were residents of the building but they did say they lived in the neighbourhood.
"At this stage my information is that they were not members of the clean-up staff at the building," Toronto police Insp. Bill Neadles told CTV Toronto on Sunday.
The robberies occurred in units between the first and sixth floors. Items taken include passports, immigration papers and clothing.
Residents were shocked to hear of the break-ins, saying they believed their apartments were being well-guarded by police.
"A couple of days before I came in and I was stopped," one tenant said, adding police cars have been constantly parked outside the building. "I was walking openly and I was stopped, so I thought security is good."
Police say they made the arrests based on a tip from the community. The three suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday morning.
On Sunday, security was tight outside the building as residents of the upper floors got a chance to briefly visit their suites to pick up some personal items.
"It's hot and it's really dirty," said tenant Sedd Aguilar, following his brief visit home. "You know, we miss our place."
Tenants have been told they will be able to move back into their apartments in about four weeks.
With a report by CTV Toronto's Galit Solomon
