(Posted 3 p.m., Aug. 24)
Three teens charged in connection with area swarmings
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline.ca

Three teens have been arrested and charged with various offences in connection with a series of swarmings in Orléans over the summer.

Police responded to a disturbance involving numerous youth at the 700 block of Charlemagne Blvd. on Aug. 14. They were tipped off by several 9-1-1 calls from people reporting a possible swarming involving several youth.

When members of the Ottawa Police Service arrived on the scene they found one of the youths was armed with a knife..

A followup investigation by the robbery unit resulted in the identification and eventual arrest of three youths..

A 16-year-old male was arrested on Aug. 15 and charged with robbery, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and theft. The suspect was also linked to an altercation with an off-duty police officer at a Tim Hortons one month earlier, and was charged with assaulting police and causing a disturbance in relation to that incident.

A 15-year-old male was arrested on Aug. 16 and charged with robbery, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and theft.

And a 16-year-old female was arrested on Aug. 22 and charged with robbery, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and theft.

All three suspects were released with a promise to appear at a future date.

Police are still investigating three similar robberies in the area, but couldn't say whether they're believed to be connected to the Aug. 14 incident.

"When there's groups that are surrounding victims and stealing or assaulting it's always going to be a concern and we will work forward to make the streets safe with the communities that we are involved with," says Ottawa police spokesperson Const.Chuck Benoit.

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