4 violent robberies in Winnipeg this week appear connected, carried out by young people, police say
Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth says 'there is work to do' to help kids in care
A string of violent robberies in Winnipeg over the last week appear to have been carried out mainly by young people living in group or foster homes, police Chief Danny Smyth says.
Four people were targeted in the four separate robberies from Sunday to Tuesday. Police say they've linked four teens and a 20-year-old man to the attacks so far.
"The youths involved in these crimes, we're of the understanding that they are known to each other, and many of them were together when these crimes were committed," Smyth said Thursday.
"All of them were in care, were in the system. None of them seem to come from stable homes."
The group has been linked to "several other offences," he said, but investigations are still ongoing.
"It was important to bring this forward now, because these attacks have been quite violent — they appear random," he said, adding that there has been nothing to suggest the teens were influenced by adults.
Woman attacked with machete
A 19-year-old woman was waiting at a bus stop around 5 p.m. Sunday, near St. Mary's Road and Riel Avenue, when she was confronted by a person who demanded her phone, police said in a Thursday news release.
The robber pulled out a machete and swung it at the woman, who tried to protect herself but suffered life-altering injuries, police said.
Police believe the same attacker was later involved in a gunpoint robbery around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday near Main Street and Rupertsland Avenue.
A 12-year-old boy's phone was stolen, but he was not injured.
A 13-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with a number of offences, including robbery and aggravated assault, in connection to the two attacks.
"It suggests to me that his needs are not being met," Smyth said.
"As much as we can do on the criminal side, some attention needs to be addressed to the needs of these kids that are in the system."
Earlier on Tuesday, shortly before 1 a.m., a 25-year-old man was robbed by a group of young people on Main Street, between St. Mary and Graham avenues, police said.
Four suspects were arrested near Provencher Boulevard and St. Joseph Street. A can of bear spray, a large serrated knife and a curved knife were found on two of them, police say.
A 20-year-old man was charged with robbery and two counts of possession of a weapon. A 17-year-old is also facing two charges of possession of a weapon, according to police. Both were released on an undertaking.
Two other 17-year-olds were released without charges.
On Monday, a 25-year-old man was also robbed with a machete on Waterfront Drive near The Forks, Smyth said.
"Even though we've identified someone that we think is responsible, the victim in this case doesn't want to proceed with any involvement with a criminal investigation."
'There is work to do'
Smyth says his officers generally see many kids each day that appear to be involved in the foster care system and who are turning to crime due to lack of supervision.
"Those responsible for caring for the youths in these facilities, they don't have the resources or the tools to meet the needs of the youth in their care," he said.
"This means that the kids are left to themselves, to go anywhere and do anything that they [see] fit. Some of them are getting involved in crime, and some very serious crimes like the ones I recapped here today."
Kids in care are also more vulnerable to exploitation and often become victims of crime, Smyth said.
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The teens charged in the string of robberies will be detained in custody, Smyth said, but he issued a stark warning.
"They won't be able to commit any more violent offences, but the reality is, this will be temporary," he said.
"They will be released — conditionally, at some point — and they will be returned to another group home or another foster home ... Clearly, there is work to do here."
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