Alleged bank robber nabbed
Police have laid charges in connection with the robbery of a North Toronto bank, and the man arrested has been charged with several other robberies across Southern Ontario.
In February it was reported a man had held up a bank at Yonge Street and Yonge Boulevard, as well as another in Scarborough and one in Cobourg.
On April 13, police arrested a 40-year-old man and charged him in connection with several bank robberies — three in Toronto and one each in Cobourg, Markham and Belleville, as well as the robbery of a currency exchange business in Burlington. Prior to the Belleville robbery, he entered a secondary school and discharged a firearm, police also allege.
Police say he was armed with a firearm in each robbery. However, no injuries were ever sustained.
Zak Bayfield, of Whitby, has been charged with:
- five counts of robbery while armed with a firearm
- five counts of disguise with intent
- five counts of use of firearm in commission of offence
- five counts of careless use of a firearm
- five counts of careless storage of a firearm
- robbery
Additionally, Belleville police have charged Bayfield with one count each of robbery with a firearm, use of firearm in commission of an offence, pointing a firearm, discharging a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a firearm for a dangerous purpose.
Bayfield has had previous run-ins with the law. He was charged in 2008 after being found practising as a physiotherapist for the Canadian Forces despite not having a licence, according to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario website. He was then disciplined by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario after he was caught practising at various other facilities in 2008 and 2009 under the name Zak Bayat, which had been his name until he changed it to Zak Bayfield in 2006.
