Several suspects linked to a series of cannabis store robberies in Calgary earlier this month have been apprehended by the police. Due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the identities of the 16- and 17-year-old boys cannot be disclosed.
An ongoing investigation into these robberies is underway, and charges are pending, as stated in a release by the Calgary police on Thursday. According to authorities, there have been a dozen cannabis store robberies in Calgary since Nov. 14. One of these incidents resulted in a clerk being rendered unconscious by a knife-wielding assailant. Other weapons, including a handgun and a hammer, have also been reported in different incidents, as mentioned in a police news release.
Two specific stores—Dank Cannabis Weed Dispensary on 3412 3rd Avenue N.W. and 420 Cannabis on 3011 26th Avenue S.W.—were targeted on Nov. 22. An anonymous employee from Dank Cannabis revealed that a colleague faced severe assault, suffering a concussion and spending three days in the hospital.
Recalling the incident, the staffer highlighted the urgency in capturing the culprits, stating, "It's been scary. They're not just sporadically robbing stores, they seem to know what they're doing." The perpetrators entered the store after closing time, taking advantage of what was believed to be a locked main door, according to the staffer.
Describing the modus operandi, the employee mentioned how store staff were restrained with zip ties, and in Dank's case, the robbers cleared customer display cases and attempted but failed to access the secure storage vault.
Reflecting on the challenges of working in the cannabis industry, the employee acknowledged its inherent risks, similar to those faced by liquor stores or banks, saying, "It's one of the downsides of working in cannabis—you can't let it bother you."
SOURCE: https://calgaryherald.com/news/crime/teens-arrested-calgary-cannabis-store-robberies
