Toronto police make arrest in pair of brazen carjackings committed over the span of a few hours

(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Toronto police have arrested a suspect in connection with a pair of brazen carjackings earlier this week.

The incidents took place in the Leslieville and Port Lands neighbourhoods over the span of a few hours on Monday.

Police say that in the first incident a victim stopped his car in the area and left the door open as he stood nearby. Police allege that a suspect ran to the car and got into the driver’s seat. He then displayed a handgun that was tucked into his waistband and threatened the victim before driving off in the stolen car, police say.

The second incident happened just a few hours later.

Police say that two people became involved in some sort of road rage incidents and at one point both of them got out of their cars and began to argue.

At the same time the suspect in the first incident was driving by in the stolen car and stopped nearby.

Police allege that he ditched the stolen vehicle and forced his way into one of the stopped cars before driving away in the newly stolen vehicle, narrowly missing the two individuals on the roadway.

Police say that uniformed officers from 51 Division “quickly responded” following the second alleged carjacking and were able to spot the suspect driving around in the area.

The car eventually stopped in a parking lot and officers were able to make an arrest following a brief foot pursuit, police say.

Ervis Tartari, 41, of Toronto is facing a dozen charges, including robbery with a firearm.

It is just the latest arrest made in connection with a rash of carjackings that have taken place across the city this spring.

Last week police laid dozens of charges against a 19-year-old Toronto man and his alleged teenage accomplice in connection with a series of carjackings in Scarborough and Durham Region.

Police are still investigating a number of other high-profile carjackings, including one which saw Maple Leaf star Mitch Marner robbed of his Range Rover at gunpoint outside of an Etobicoke movie theatre.