Toronto police have charged 10 people after a months-long investigation into a string of TTC collection booth robberies beginning in March, dubbed “Project Castle,” which has also led to increased security on the TTC.

Police say that between March 3 and May 28, five TTC collector booths were robbed at gunpoint. The Hold-Up Squad launched an investigation into the crimes, comparing them with other robberies and staking out locations over the course of what TTC CEO Andy Byford calls a “long and painstaking investigation.”

On July 23, 10 search warrants were executed in dwellings across the city, and 11 people were arrested in connection to the TTC booth robberies a string of similar offences.

In total, it is believed that the group is responsible for 12 armed robberies during the six weeks in question. Including the five booths, they are believed to have robbed several retail locations, including a convenience store, Tim Hortons and gas station and a Scotiabank, according to Insp. Mike Earl from the Hold-Up squad, who updated media on the case Tuesday.

Also seized during the searches were handguns, a replica gun and TTC passes, which Earl says were being sold online by the suspects, some of whom have connections to some street gangs.

“It is good news to get these individuals off the streets,” Earl said. But, investigators believe they may have committed other similar offences in the past, and that there may be other unidentified suspects.

Police linked the suspects to the other robberies through similar methods and the fact that they were close to the booth robberies.

In one case on April 28, the collection booth at the Donlands subway station was robbed, and within minutes a store nearby was hit. Earl said that the clothing, descriptions of the suspects and words used in the robberies connected the cases.

On May 25, there were three robberies linked to group, including a Scotiabank, a Tim Hortons and a gas station on Kingston Rd. Once again, Earl said that due to similarities in the robberies, “it was obvious they were the same people from the TTC.”

On May 28, suspects robbed a gas station on Kingston Rd. again, and fled in a vehicle which they crashed into a tree after losing control in Durham Region. Working backwards from the motor vehicle, police were able to identify a number of suspects, though they say it was not registered to any of those arrested.

The crimes committed outside of the TTC were “probably because of the high visibility that we put in the subway system at that time,” Earl said, noting an increased presence of TTC and police on the system during the investigation.

Byford said at Tuesday’s conference that there have been a number of security upgrades to the TTC in the wake of the investigation.

One upgrade was to security cameras which now produce improved video. Byford says this is consistent with court requirements, and was instrumental in identifying the suspects arrested on July 24.

Transit officers have also been made special constables, giving them more power, and more staff have been added to traditionally under-staffed stations. There have been changes to the booths themselves which Byford said “hardened the target.”

And, as the TTC moves toward integrating Presto cards, a process which is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, less cash is being kept in collection booths. “So progressively we will be removing large amounts of cash from the system,” Byford said. Presto card readers are currently in place at 26 stations.

The TTC has also offered counseling and support to the five collectors who were robbed, Byford said. “It is very traumatic. You don’t come to work to expect to have a gun pointed at you or be threatened or be robbed.”

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at: 416-808-7350 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at: 416-222-TIPS (8477).

More than 140 charges were laid in the arrests. Charges range from conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, to armed robbery and theft over $5,000, along with a number of related firearms offences.

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The following people were arrested:

Javar Thomas, 24, of Toronto

Stefon Edwards, 20, of Pickering

Davidae Skelton, 18, of Mississauga

Andre Edwards, 21, of Toronto

Jonathan Pileggi, 18, of Stouffville

Damen Smith, 19, of Toronto

Houghton Cozier, 20, of Toronto

Vanessa Barachin, 22, of Toronto

Three minors, whose names have been withheld under the Youth Criminal Justice Act have also been arrested. A 17-year-old from Toronto, a 16-year-old from Innisfil and a 17-year-old were also charged.

Although that adds up to 11 individuals, Toronto police spokesperson Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said only 10 people were charged but could not elaborate.