Four young men have been charged in relation to a string of downtown robberies that took place between January and April.
All of the businesses targeted were convenience stores. One store is located on the 0-100 block of Preston Street, two on the 0-100 block of Elm Street, and one on the 300 block of Fifth Avenue in the Glebe.
The first three robberies were perpetrated by two or three suspects, with at least one carrying a firearm each time. In the second Elm Street robbery, a suspect acted alone. He struck an employee with his weapon and left a fake handgun on the scene.
Three of the suspects are 17 years old while the fourth is 16. All have been charged with at least two counts of robbery and two accounts of weapon possession. One is charged with assault causing bodily harm.
One suspect has been released on bail while the other three remain in custody.