Toronto/IBNS: Three suspects have been arrested in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) following last week's alleged carjacking of a woman and her child in a Mississauga parking lot.

They were held in custody pending a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.

Peel Regional Police (PRP) said that as the woman was loading her vehicle on July 3 at approximately 7:15 p.m in a parking lot near Heartland Town Centre with her child she was approached by two masked suspects in a stolen black Acura sedan.

According to police, the suspects demanded her keys and fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle, while the third suspect fled the scene in the suspect vehicle. But the woman and her child were reportedly unharmed.

On the following day in a second incident the police said a woman was approached by two suspects in the same black Acura sedan in a gym parking lot on Pepper Mill Court at approximately 7:30 p.m.

When the victim reportedly attempted to flee she was knocked to the ground and her purse was stolen. However, the victim was not injured, police said.

When the suspects failed to obtain her car keys they fled the scene in the stolen Acura.

According to the police, the three masked suspects were located by detectives from the Central Robbery Bureau in the Hurontario Street and Courtneypark Drive area on July 5.

It was believed by the police officers that when the suspects were preparing for another carjacking at that time, they were obstructed and arrested with help from the Investigations Bureau, Tactical and the K-9 unit.

“In both instances, the victim’s vehicles were BMW X7 SUVs. Investigators are confident that they were targeted strictly for their high-value vehicles,” the news release read.

Subsequently 18-year-old Mackey Lashano of Toronto and 18-year-old Deshawn Sadler of Brampton were charged, along with a 14-year-old male youth, who cannot be named under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They have been charged with robbery, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by crime.

During the ongoing investigation, the Police, or Crime Stoppers are reportedly requesting anyone with information to contact them.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)