Driver of stolen U-Haul arrested after allegedly kidnapping person at gunpoint

21/12/2023

Descrease article font size Increase article font size The driver of a stolen U-Haul truck who allegedly kidnaped a person at gunpoint before leading police on a pursuit has been arrested, according to police.

Insp.

Maher Abdel-Malik said officers were in the area of Danforth and Warden avenues Wednesday investigating an incident that occurred on Dec.

6 at a Best Buy in Scarborough Town Centre, which resulted in an off-duty officer [1] getting stabbed after he intervened during a theft. Abdel-Malik said during their investigation, officers located a male suspect in a stolen U-Haul [2] believed to be involved in the stabbing. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, there was an “altercation” resulting in several officers sustaining minor injuries.

Abdel-Malik said officers also learned the suspect had abducted a citizen at gunpoint, however, the citizen was brought to safety and the suspect took off in the U-Haul. Story continues below advertisement “At that point the officers did not engage with the male and followed at a safe distance while we requested the help of York Regional Police, and they provided their helicopter,” said Abdel-Malik.

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He said the helicopter followed from above as the suspect made his way downtown until the Emergency Task Force ultimately blocked the vehicle in on Carlton Street.

A 49-year-old male was placed under arrest at the scene. Police said as a result of the incident, the stolen truck may have collided with several vehicles throughout Toronto and Durham. Anyone who may have been involved is asked to contact Traffic Services investigators.

PERSON WITH A GUN- panel truck may have collided with several vehicles throughout Toronto & Durham- If you were involved, please notify @TrafficServices [4] at 416.808.1900- If no injuries & damage is < £2000, they may refer you to Collision Reporting Centre #GO2914805 [5] ^vk

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) December 20, 2023 [6] Trending Now

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PERSON WITH A GUN (Update)- Started with plain clothes officers investigating stabbing of off-duty officer on December 6, (#GO2808105 [9])- When officers tried to stop truck, discovered passenger had been abducted at gunpoint- passenger taken to safety- driver fled#GO2914805 [10] ^vk — Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) December 20, 2023 [11]

Click to play video: 'Off-duty Toronto police officer stabbed while intervening in daytime theft at Best Buy store'

1:46 Off-duty Toronto police officer stabbed while intervening in daytime theft at Best Buy store

References

^ off-duty officer (globalnews.ca)
^ stolen U-Haul (globalnews.ca)
^ Sent to your email, every day. (globalnews.ca)
^ @TrafficServices (twitter.com)
^ #GO2914805 (twitter.com)
^ December 20, 2023 (twitter.com)
^ Alec Baldwin led away by cops after heated face-off at pro-Palestinian rally: video (globalnews.ca)
^ Jeffrey Epstein list: More than 170 people may be named in the new year (globalnews.ca)
^ #GO2808105 (twitter.com)
^ #GO2914805 (twitter.com)
^ December 20, 2023 (twitter.com)