Multiple Police Agencies Team Up to put end to Robbery Spree

Between November 2007 and April 2008, various police services across Ontario were called upon to investigate reports of residential break and enters where the victims were owners of Chinese Food Restaurants and the suspects were a male and female of Asian descent.

A total of 27 incidents were linked by investigators in areas such as Halton Hills, Tillsonburg, Woodstock, Midland, Orillia, Owen Sound, Wasaga Beach, Orangeville, Shelburne, Stratford, Toronto, Angus, Lindsay, Bancroft, Brighton, Trenton and London.

The combined losses in these incidents total over $324,000.00.

In the Orillia and Stratford occurrences, the suspects bound and forcibly confined occupants that they encountered in the residences during the break and enters.

In early April 2008, Investigators from the Halton Regional Police Service – One District Criminal Investigations Bureau met with investigators from the Ontario Provincial Police, Stratford Police Service, Midland Police Service and the Toronto Police Service Asian Organized Crime Task Force. This information sharing meeting resulted in two persons of interest being identified, a joint investigation commenced with Halton Regional Police coordinating the investigation.

On April 9th 2008, two suspects were arrested in Belleville by members of the Asian Organized Crime Task Force. Subsequent investigation resulted in the recovery of over $80,000.00 in cash, jewellery and electronics that had been stolen.

On April 17th 2008, the two suspects were brought to Halton Region where they were charged jointly for offences in all jurisdictions:

1. De Fei ZHENG, 40 years, of Toronto
2. Yu SUN, 27 years, of Toronto

Both persons are charged jointly with 35 criminal offences that include.

1 count Conspiracy to Commit the Indictable Offence of Break and Enter, 2 counts Robbery, 2 counts Forcible Confinement, 1 count Possession of Weapons Dangerous, 20 counts of Break and Enter and Theft, 5 counts of Break Enter with Intent, 1 count Possession of Stolen Property under $5,000.00, 2 counts of Possession of Stolen Property over $5,000.00 and 1 count of Possession of Break-in Instruments.

The police agencies involved in this joint investigation include: Halton Regional Police Service, Midland Police Service, Stratford Police Service, Oxford Community Police, Toronto Police Service, Kawartha Lakes Police Service, Owen Sound Police Service, Orangeville Police Service, Belleville Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police Detachments in Oxford Count, Napanee, Quinte West, Huronia West, Bracebridge, Notawasaga and Orillia.

The Halton Regional Police Service is continuing to investigate this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Milton Criminal Investigations Bureau at (905) 825-4777 or (905) 634-1831 Ext. 2415 or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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