Two Woodville men are among those that have been charged following an armed robbery investigation where $1.3 million worth of property was allegedly stolen.

According to the York Regional Police, the arrests were made late last month and were related to armed robberies in April and November of last year.

Officers were called to a retail store in the Leslie Street and Elgin Mills Road East area of York Region on April 29, 2020 following reports of an armed robbery.

It is alleged that a lone man entered a store, pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at an employee. A second man then entered the store and the two men tied up the employee before taking a large amount of jewellery and the employee’s car keys.

“The men got into the employee’s car and fled the scene,” reads a media release from the Toronto Police Service.

“The car was eventually located abandoned after being set on fire.”

The second incident occurred on Nov. 28, 2020 in the Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West area of Toronto.

A man allegedly entered a store armed with a handgun and a knife and assaulted an employee and then tied them up.

“The man took a large amount of jewellery and the employee’s car keys,” reads a media release.

“The man got into the employee’s car and fled the scene. The car was eventually located abandoned after being set on fire.”

Three suspects were identified following a year-long investigation, with officers executing a dozen search warrants.

Police say that clothing worn during the robberies was located, along with a large amount of stolen jewellery and a loaded handgun.

Shawn Fries, 55, of Woodville has been charged with two counts of robbery with a firearm, disguise with intent, two counts of conspiracy to commit indictable offence, pointing a firearm, forcible confinement, assault with a weapon, two counts of arson causing damage to property, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of restricted weapon knowing its possession is unauthorized, possession of restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a firearm obtained by crime, two counts of careless storage of a firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm contrary to prohibition order, two counts of possession property obtained by crime over and three counts of fail to comply release order.

Julianno Petrella, 22, of Woodville has been charged with two counts of robbery With a firearm, two counts of disguise with intent, two counts of conspiracy to commit indictable offence, two counts of forcible confinement, assault with a weapon, two counts of arson causing damage to property, two counts of possession of firearm contrary to prohibition order, two counts of possession property obtained by crime over and four counts of fail to comply probation order.

Aram Al-Kamisi, 26, of Bowmanville, has been charged with conspiracy to commit indictable offence and possession property obtained by crime over.