Two men have been arrested following multiple armed robberies in multiple communities around the Lower Mainland from December through January.
Police had the suspects under surveillance and took them into custody in Abbotsford late Saturday night as they allegedly committed their 16th robbery.
On December 9, 2019, the first of several armed robberies took place in Vancouver and occurred at an average rate of four robberies a week in Langley (3), Abbotsford (6), Maple Ridge (2), Surrey (2), Chilliwack (2) and Vancouver (1) until the suspects were arrested January 11, 2020.
It soon became evident to investigators from several RCMP detachments and municipal police agencies that their communities were experiencing similar robberies by suspects who had similar descriptions and displayed similar methods.
“This investigation is an example of how multiple police agencies shared information and provided resources to identify two dangerous suspects and ultimately arrest them,” says Abbotsford Police Chief Mike Serr. “These arrests are significant for public safety, in particular for employees of the businesses targeted. AbbyPD would like to congratulate our RCMP partners for the dedication and expertise they displayed that contributed to these arrests.”
The offences allegedly involved two masked men with firearms, one which appeared to be a long gun and the other a handgun. The robberies occurred at liquor stores, gas stations, convenience stores and financial institutions.
The Langley RCMP coordinated the response that involved full partnerships from the Abbotsford Police Department, Ridge Meadows RCMP, Chilliwack RCMP, Surrey RCMP, Vancouver Police Department, Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team and the Integrated Police Dog Service which assisted in the suspect’s arrest.
“The LMD policing community came together in a manner that our citizens expect of us. The coordination was well organized as every agency recognized the risk presented to public through the entire region,” says Officer-in-Charge of Langley RCMP.
"Police need to utilize their resources as best as we can and this investigation is a prime example of how working in partnership with different municipalities and agencies is crucial to the resolution of an investigation. We are thrilled our Street Enforcement Unit was able to contribute to the capture of these suspects,” says Ridge Meadows Officer-in-Charge Superintendent Jennifer Hyland.
