London police are investigating reports of three violent robberies in northwest London where the suspects were a group of young men wearing hoodies that covered their faces.

All three victims — including a boy riding his bike and an inline skater who was approached in broad daylight — suffered minor injuries from being assaulted during the robberies in the Whitehills area, police said.

The suspects, described in all cases as between the ages of 15 and 18, made off with cellphones from two victims and headphones from the skater, police said.

“It’s definitely concerning to us. Three separate robberies in a matter of two days,” said Const. Sandasha Bough. “These are not store robberies, these are individuals out by themselves and being approached by an unknown group of males and being assaulted.”

Police also ask anyone with information about the robberies to call them at 519-661-5670.

While police confirmed the robbery reports Thursday, the case involving the boy on his bike has been circulating online since a controversial online post appeared in the Lost & Found section of Kijiji Monday from someone claiming to be the victim’s grandmother, and scolding the robbers.

“Yes, you scored quite a nice setup G6 smartphone and a new bike purchased for his 13th birthday a total of $2000,” states the post, which goes on to describe the suspects as “nine cowardly black boys, wearing pathetic red bandanas.”

Bough said police are “aware of what’s been posted on Kijiji, but we aren’t going to comment on it.”

She said police have no report of the boy’s bike being stolen, only his phone.

The Kijiji ad has been viewed more than 30,000 times and generated community concern, due to its vague description of the suspects that gives only their race.

“There is a disturbing ad on Kijiji, and many of us in the community are concerned that, given how suspicious it sounds, it is likely to result in more of the racism that is becoming a problem in our city,” one reader wrote to The Free Press.

In all three cases, which occurred last Sunday and Tuesday, the victims reported being approached by more than six males in the Whitehills area, police said. In two cases, the suspects were described as black, in the third case, they were described as a group of both black and white males.

jlobrien@postmedia.com



A posting on the online classified site Kijiji

In all three cases -- which occurred last Sunday and Tuesday -- the victims reported being approached by more than six males in the Whitehills area of London, police said. In all three cases, the victims suffered "minor injuries," she said.

In two of the cases, the suspects were described as being black, in the third case, they were described as being a group comprised of both black and white males.

The first incident occurred Sunday in the area of Blackacres Blvd., and Hawthorne Rd., where a boy was riding his bike and approached by about eight males, described as being black, between ages of 15 and 18 and wearing hoodies that covered their faces, said Const. Sandasha Bough.

Two days later, at 2:30 p.m. a man on rollerblades in the same area was reportedly approached and assaulted by as many as eight men who took his head phones. They were described only as being black and wearing hoodies that covered their faces. They looked like they were between age 15 and 18.

Later that night, at 11:21 p.m., a third victim was walking when approached by a group near Sarnia and Chapman roads, described as being comprised of both black and white males, between the ages of 15 and 18 who assaulted him and took his cell phone. Those assailants were also wearing hoodies that covered their faces.

Police say they believe all three robberies were committed by the same group of young men.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 519-661-5670.

jlobrien@postmedia.com