‘Frightening’: Smash-and-grab robbery at Scarborough cellphone store caught on camera

A Toronto cellphone business says they lost $40,000 following a smash-and-grab by at least four suspects that was caught on surveillance footage.

A security camera footage shows the moment four suspects walked into a Scarborough cellphone store and smashed display cases, stealing merchandise worth $40,000 on Wednesday afternoon.

The footage shared with CTV News Toronto captured the smash-and-grab robbery at the store located near Kingston Road and McCowan Road. Police said they got a call for the robbery just before 5 p.m.

In the video, three masked suspects holding hammers enter the store while a fourth one stays at the door. They approach the counter where the owner’s son is talking to a customer.

The store owner, Waheed Sarosh, then emerges from the back and talks to the suspects.

Sarosh later recounted to CTV News Toronto that he told the suspects that they could take anything they wanted as long as they did not hurt his son, 19-year-old Saqlain.

After Sarosh moves to the side, the suspects are seen in the video carrying on with the robbery, using their hammers to break display cases.

As two suspects put cellphones and other merchandise in bags, one suspect goes behind the counter and appears to demand Saqlain open the cash register.

He is seen tapping keys on the register, but it doesn’t open.

“I wasn’t going to open it for them because they’ve already caused enough property damage and stolen a lot of our valuable assets as well. So, in that moment, it was a little frightening,” Saqlain later told CTV News Toronto.

He remembered one of the suspects threatening to slap and punch him.

“He reached for my pockets, demanding our phones, demanding that we give them cash out of the register, demanding that we give them everything,” Saqlain said.

After grabbing a few more items, the suspects leave the store. Sarosh estimates that his store lost $40,000 in the robbery.

In addition to smartphones, Saqlain said the suspects took tablets, headphones and wires.

“In the moment, I was like, oh, this is really happening, like, I was shocked,” the 19-year-old said.

Police said no one was injured in the incident.

They have not provided descriptions of the suspects, who fled in a dark-coloured vehicle. According to Saqlain, the suspect vehicle is a black Honda Civic.

Suspects described as adolescents

Saqlain said the suspects waited for a customer to leave the store so they could enter.

He shared that the store has a remote push door, so they can control who comes inside. So when a customer left, Saqlain said the suspects took advantage of that, with one of them holding the door open so others could go inside.

“As soon as I saw two individuals with the two hammers that hit me. These guys are masked. I just know something’s about to go wrong,” he said.

“I was concerned that my father would get hurt. And in that moment, that’s all I was thinking about.”

Saqlin got a look at the suspects' faces and described them as adolescents between the ages of 17 and 22.

“It’s unfortunate to see how kids nowadays are growing up doing stuff like this,” he said.

Store owner recovering from cancer

The father and son were both worried about each other’s well-being during the robbery.

Sarosh has owned the Kingston and McCowan store for 10 years. He said Wednesday’s robbery was the fourth one in two years.

“I’m concerned. I don’t know how we survive,” Sarosh said. “I don’t know how we run our business now. (Our) businesses are already in crisis.”

His other store has also been targeted by thieves last month.

“I cannot explain my feelings right now,” Sarosh added, his voice breaking. “I’m worried about my kids.”

For Saqlain, he was thinking about his father, who is recovering after being diagnosed with synovial sarcoma. He said his father has recently begun working again to keep his family afloat.

“Me and my dad were begging them to stop. They could have what they want; just don’t cause any property damage because, as a small business, it’s already hard to tell when you’re going to have good days, bad days, and especially because they took most of our most valuable assets,” Saqlain said.

“We’re a family-owned business who’ve been operating for a long time, and you just trust your city to protect you, do whatever they can to protect you.”

And while he is thankful that police are trying their best to help businesses, Saqlain believes more can be done.

“It’s disappointing, and it’s violating,” he added.

Meanwhile, his father voiced his frustration with the bail system, saying it needs to be strengthened.

“They don’t care when they break (in). They can break people, too. That time, they are very aggressive,” Sarosh said, sharing his fear that if another robbery happens, suspects may throw their hammers at him.

Sarosh is worried that his stores will be targeted again unless there are changes in the justice system.

“They sell their stuff, and they can come back again within two, three weeks. They can come back because nobody is arresting them,” he said.

This is the second cellphone store robbery reported in recent days. Last week, three masked suspects attended a store in East York Town Centre and smashed display cases with hammers.

The suspects fled in a vehicle. No arrests have been made in that robbery.

With files from CTV Toronto’s Janice Golding