A suspect in Nanaimo has re-defined the term repeat offender, allegedly robbing the same gas station twice, a little over a year apart.
Police responded to the Mid Island Co-op gas bar on Victoria Crescent in downtown Nanaimo at about 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, after a woman entered the business, produced what appeared to be a gun, and demanded money.
B次元官网网址淭he clerk thought the gun was fake, however, complied with the demands of the individual and placed the money in a bag that was produced,B次元官网网址 said reserve Const. Gary OB次元官网网址橞rien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson.
After being handed the money, the suspect left the store and sat down in the drive-thru at the adjacent fast-food restaurant. Police arrived and she was arrested without incident.
It turned out that a dollar-store toy cap gun had been used in the robbery.
OB次元官网网址橞rien said the woman could be facing charges that include using a firearm to commit an offence, but police are investigating further before recommending charges.
B次元官网网址淚nvestigators believe there are mental health issues at play. Outreach teams have been advised and further investigation is required before we proceed with chargesB次元官网网址次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址淩egardless if itB次元官网网址檚 a toy firearm, if she produced a firearm in the commission of an offence, to let others believe that it was a firearm, then she could be charged for firearms offences. ItB次元官网网址檚 not to be taken lightly.B次元官网网址
Because the woman has not been charged, police have not released her identity.
The same gas bar was robbed with a toy pistol approximately 13 months ago.
B次元官网网址淭he individual involved who was arrested purportedly committed a very similar robbery at the same Co-op in October of 2022,B次元官网网址 OB次元官网网址橞rien said.
In the previous incident, the backpack containing the loot from the robbery was stolen by an opportunistic thief while police were in the process of arresting the initial robber. Officers managed to nab the second suspect and retrieve the backpack following that incident.
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