Scared Nanaimo robbery suspect calls 911
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Updated: November 24, 2009 11:22 AM
An overwhelming police response to an armed robbery report in Nanaimo Monday scared one of the suspects into calling 911.
Mounties went into action when two males robbed the Good Neighbour Thrift Store at 540 Milton St. at 2:40 p.m.
“Two males, age 18 and 16, wearing hoodies and bandanas came into the store and confronted [staff] with a weapon,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokeman. “They actually smashed the cash register and took off with an undisclosed amount of money – actually in coins.”
Police are not saying what the weapon was, but a police dog only had a short trail to sniff out because the suspects ran to a house just a few doors down from the thrift store.
“Members took up containment and about 4:30 p.m., one of the males actually called 911 from the residence,” O’Brien said. “He was concerned because there were so many police outside his house.”
Three men came out of the house and were arrested. One of the men, age 20, was later released without charges.
Police recommended charges of robbery against the remaining two suspects, both of whom are known to police, O’Brien said, and were scheduled to appear at Nanaimo provincial court Tuesday.
Police searched the house and recovered the coins taken in the robbery.
“We got the cash back and found some other interesting items, so we’ll leave it at that,” O’Brien said.
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