Three teens charged with robbery after Orléans swarming

Three teens were arrested and charged with robbery and possessing a dangerous weapon after police broke up a disturbance earlier this month in Orléans, where parents have raised the alarm about street swarmings.

Police report finding “numerous” youths on Charlemagne Boulevard near St. Peter High School on Aug. 14 at about 10:45 p.m.

Several people reported they had been robbed. Police said the assailants were armed with a knife.

A 16-year-old was arrested on Aug. 15 and charged with robbery, assault with a weapon, possessing a dangerous weapon and theft under $5,000. The boy was already facing charges of assaulting police and causing a disturbance in connection with a July altercation with an off-duty officer at a Tim Hortons.

A 15-year-old boy arrested on Aug. 16 and a 16-year-old girl arrested on Aug. 22 are facing the same charges.

All three were released on a promise to appear in court.

The city police robbery unit thanked the community” for coming forward with all relevant information.”

Earlier this month, Orléans resident Greg Shore created a Facebook group called It’s Your City, Let’s All Help Make Orléans Safe after his 14-year-old son was chased by a group of boys in Avalon. It soon had thousands of members.

“This really does need to stop,” Shore said. “The swarming is out of control. Time to step up, parents. Our kids should feel safe travelling to a friend’s house or hanging out in a field, playing.”

Last August, Ottawa police reported a dramatic increase in the number of swarmings and personal robberies for the first time in many years, although they don’t point to a particular problem in Orléans. Swarmings are up 24 per cent compared with 2016, and personal robberies are up 55 per cent.

Const. Megan Arbuthnot explains what a swarming is and how to protect yourself in a blog on the city police website.

“Simply stated, it is a robbery — a theft with violence — that involves at least two or more suspects applying force (or the implied threat of force) on a victim in order to steal their property,” she said. “Swarmings are one of the most random crimes that police respond to and one of the more challenging to solve.”

Tips include keeping valuables hidden, avoiding shortcuts and staying aware of your surroundings, Arbuthnot said.

“Keep your eyes up, your ears open, and change course if you have to,” she wrote. “It’s important to be aware of your surroundings and people in your immediate space. Recognize that, if a group of people appear to be taking precautions to cover up or disguise their faces as they approach you, the smart thing to do is turn around and try to get back amongst a crowd.”

If you’re targeted, “do not resist, argue, negotiate or fight, as you could end up being unnecessarily hurt.” Call police as soon as it’s safe.

Being robbed is a traumatic event, Arbuthnot wrote.

“However, you can help yourself and the police by trying to get as accurate descriptions of the suspects as possible and calling 911 as soon as practicable. Don’t wait!

“Police officers in the vicinity, with accurate suspect descriptors to watch out for, are the best chance we have of catching these people.”