No leads in Christmas robbery

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

While living in a rural community it can sometimes be easy to forget about the crimes that can be an everyday thing in bigger municipalities. On Dec. 22 at approximately 8:30 p.m. Shoppers Drug Mart was the target of an armed robbery. RCMP was called to respond to the complaint. 

“We don’t suspect it’s terribly connected to Strathmore other than we just happen to be the location,” said Cpl. Duane White with the Strathmore RCMP.

A suspect armed with what was believed to be a firearm entered the store through the main entrance and proceeded to the pharmacy. The suspect then demanded the on-duty pharmacist grant him access to secured pharmaceutical supplies. The suspect filled a bag with the supplies and exited back through the main entrance where they entered a white truck and fled the scene. 

“It’s a serious crime and its not one you want to see anywhere, but it shows that it can happen. Our proximity to a major city probably doesn’t help us either,” said White. 

There were approximately 20 customers and employees in the store at the time of the robbery. The understanding is that the suspect went directly to the pharmacist and did not injure or have any involvement with the other patrons of the store. 

The white truck was found abandoned nearby and White thinks there was a second vehicle that transported the suspect back to where he or they came from. The truck had been reported stolen earlier in the day to the Calgary Police Service. White said he would be surprised if it were Strathmore people involved due to where the vehicle was stolen. A search was conducted, involving the Calgary RCMP Police Dog Service, but the suspect was not found. Members of the Strathmore and Calgary General Investigation Section, and the Calgary Forensic Identification Section are assisting investigators from the Strathmore Detachment.

“They are putting together investigative strategies with other detachments and probably (will) have the Calgary city police involved in looking for similarities,” said White. 

“I don’t think something like this happens in a vacuum, the reasonable expectation would be that the folks involved, or the guy involved for that matter, would be involved in other stuff.”

Shoppers Drug Mart does have video surveillance in place, but having cameras does not necessarily mean they will help stop every crime that happens. 

“Sometimes they are valuable and sometimes they are of limited value depending on how the bad guy presents himself,” said White. 

The investigation was still ongoing at press time.