Despite the arrival of the new year, crime continues around the clock in Mississauga and Brampton, where armed robberies have become a prevalent and ongoing concern.

In the last 31 days, Mississauga and Brampton have witnessed an average of one or more thefts daily.

Between December 21 (2023) and January 21 (2024), data from Peel Regional Police indicated that 41 robberies were reported across both cities – 20 in Mississauga and 21 in Brampton.

Out of these, 23 armed robberies involved firearms, eight involved other weapons, and 11 were categorized as “other” by the police. As of today (January 21), 16 of these incidents have been solved, while the other 25 remain under investigation. The data does not indicate the number of arrests or reported injuries related to these thefts.

According to Peel Regional Police data, the top 4 common hotspots for this type of crime are:

Downtown
Dixie Road
Goreway Road
Main Street
Comparing these incidents to the same time last year (December 21, 2022 – January 21, 2023), only three cases were reported during the month, with incidents occurring in Brampton on Heart Lake Road, Highway, and Tim Canada Drive. Since then, two robberies have been solved while the other remains under investigation.

While businesses remain the primary targets of these thefts, violent armed robberies have also been reported inside homes or during vehicle thefts.

Peel Regional Police provide safety advice for residents and businesses regarding protection from robberies:

Ensure you have a properly functioning surveillance system.
Make sure you have adequate lighting inside and outside your building, and remember to maintain it.
Provide all employees with theft prevention training, reduce cash on hand by making frequent cash drops, have low shelves to improve customer visibility, arrange your shelves to allow employees to see between aisles from the checkout counter.
Remove all excessive or cluttered window signs from the sales area and other important sightlines.
In case of robbery, victims are advised to contact the police immediately.