Durham police say 13 boys and an adult were arrested and 38 charges have been laid in connection to an investigation into bullying, thefts and assaults in north Oshawa.
Police said officers responded to numerous complaints from educators and students at Maxwell Heights Secondary School on Coldstream Drive in Oshawa. Police formed a special project team for the investigation, which was launched in December.
A group of current and former students, who police said identified themselves as a “street gang” were discovered to be “intimidating others through threats of violence to steal smartphones, jewelry and other person possessions,” according to a release on Friday.
Investigators charged 13 boys ranging from the ages of 12 to 17, as well as one adult.
The 38 charges included theft, assault, forcible confinement and intimidation.
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Police said victims were threatened and told not to go to police or any adults about the incidents. However, investigators said reports were still made and analysts noticed an uptick in “street-level robberies and related activities in the area in 2019.”
Durham District School Board co-operated fully with the investigation, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call DRPS at 1-888-569-1520 or anonymous information can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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