UPDATE - Street-Level Robbery in Pickering

An 18-year-old Pickering male has been arrested by the Street Level Robbery Unit of West Division in connection with an incident on July 8th.

On Thursday, July 22, 2010, officers from the Street Level Robbery Unit arrested the male without incident at his residence, as a result of an ongoing investigation.

William SHONIKER, age 18, of Rouge Valley Drive in Pickering is charged with:

He was held for a bail hearing. The weapon used in the incident has not been recovered.

ORIGINAL MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED JULY 8th, 2010

Street-Level Robbery in Pickering

Durham Regional Police are investigating a street-level robbery in which two teenage girls were threatened early this morning.

On Thursday July 8, 2010 at approximately 3:14 a.m., two 17-year-old girls were walking west on Steeple Hill, just past Kingston Road in Pickering. A male approached the girls, told them to remain calm and revealed a handgun tucked into his pants. The suspect then demanded money from the victims. Upon discovering the victims were not in possession of any money, the suspect fled southeast into the Steeple Hill plaza parking lot. There were no injuries.

The victims contacted police immediately. Police attended the scene and K-9 searched the area for the suspect with negative results.

The suspect is described as: male, white, age 17-18 years, 5’ 9”, clean-shaven with brown eyes, blond hair and a brush cut. He was wearing a black baseball hat, a white T-shirt and black pants. He is described as carrying a handgun with a brown wooden handle.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Det. Dan McKinnon of the West Division Street-Level Robbery Unit (905) 579-1520 ext. 2565. Anonymous calls can be made to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Reprinted from a media release received from the Durham Regional Police Service