London pair charged after parking lot cellphone sale turns into alleged armed robbery: police

Two 19-year-old London, Ont., men are facing charges after an arranged parking lot cellphone sale in north London turned into an alleged armed robbery that later ended in a tense scene with police in the south end.

Investigators say the pair and the seller had agreed online to meet in a parking lot in a parking lot near Adelaide and Huron streets around 2 p.m. on Thursday.

At the scene, police say one of the suspects asked to examine the phone, while the other suspect allegedly produced a shotgun. Both later fled on foot with the phone.

Prior to the robbery, police say an individual in the 600 block of Cheapside Street had observed two men acting suspiciously, and upon confronting them, was threatened with a shotgun.

No physical injuries were reported in either incident.

Officers say they were contacted and learned around 2:15 p.m. that the suspects may have fled in a taxi near Adelaide and Huron.

Roughly 15 minutes later, police say they located the taxi, stopping it near Wellington Road and Waterman Avenue.

A high-risk vehicle stop and arrest were made and two suspects were taken into custody without incident and a shotgun was seized.

Both are jointly charged with armed robbery, use of a firearm during the commission of an indictable offence and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

One the accused faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition order, while the other is additionally charged with two counts of pointing a firearm and failure to comply with undertaking.

Both were slated to appear in court Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact London police or Crime Stoppers.