12-year-old among six charged after Toronto retail robberies

Toronto police say they have charged two adults and four youths — one as young as 12 — in connection with two retail robberies.

Police said one robbery happened on Jan. 2 near Van Horne and Victoria Park avenues and the other in the same area a few days later on Jan. 5.

In the first robbery, police allege two female suspects went into a store and asked to buy cigarettes when four male suspects rushed into the store and ran behind the checkout counter.

One of the suspects pulled out a gun and demanded the employee open the register, police said. The employee was also assaulted by being hit in the head several times, investigators allege.

Police said the suspects then took cash and several items from the store shelves before running away.

In the second robbery, police said three masked suspects went into a store and one of them pulled out a gun and demanded the employee open the cash register.

Investigators said another suspect pulled out a can of pepper spray and used it on the employee. The suspects were able to flee with cash and cigarettes, police allege.

Following search warrants, police said officers recovered the guns allegedly used during the robbery as well as items from the robberies.

Police arrested two adults and four teenagers in the two robberies.

Kristine Dorsey, 38, and Ronald Irakoze, 21, face charges of robbery with a firearm and wearing a disguise with intent. Irakoze is also facing charges of possessing property obtained by crime and failing to comply with a probation order.

Four teenagers, a girl aged 12, and three boys aged 14, 15 and 16 were also charged with robbery with a firearm and disguise with intent.

Due to the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, their names and identities cannot be revealed.