3 violent robberies in Winnipeg over the last week appear connected, carried out by young people, police say

A string of violent robberies in Winnipeg over the last week appear to have been carried out mainly by young people living in group or foster homes, police Chief Danny Smyth says.

Three people were targeted in the three separate robberies from Sunday to Tuesday. Police say they’ve linked four teens and a 20-year-old man to the attacks so far.

“The youths involved in these crimes, we’re of the understanding that they are known to each other, and many of them were together when these crimes were committed,” Smyth said Thursday.

“None of them seem to come from stable homes.”

Woman attacked with machete

A 19-year-old woman waiting for a bus near St. Mary’s Road and Riel Avenue around 5 p.m. Sunday was confronted by a person who demanded her phone, police said in a Thursday news release.

The robber pulled out a machete and swung it at the woman, who tried to protect herself but suffered life-altering injuries, police said.

Police believe the same attacker was later involved in a gunpoint robbery around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday near Main Street and Rupertsland Avenue. A 12-year-old boy’s phone was stolen, but he was not injured.

A 13-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with a number of offences, including robbery and aggravated assault.

Man robbed by group

Earlier on Tuesday, shortly before 1 a.m., a 25-year-old man was robbed by a group of young people on Main Street, between St. Mary and Graham avenues, police said.

Four suspects were arrested near Provencher Boulevard and St. Joseph Street. A can of bear spray, a large serrated knife and a curved knife were found on two of them, police say.

A 20-year-old man was charged with robbery and two counts of possession of a weapon. A 17-year-old is also facing two charges of possession of a weapon, according to police.

Two other 17-year-olds were released without charges.