ROBBED AT KNIFEPOINT
Charlottetown police says matter still under investigation and asks for public’s help in identifying suspect
Police says matter still under investigation and asks for public’s help in identifying suspect
Christine Smith was kneeling down filling the Coke fridge when she heard the buzz of the front door opening.
It took her a second to finish, and then she stood up and turned around.
She saw a tall man standing in the aisle, five feet away from her. His face was covered in a scarf with a knife pointed at her.
“Oh no, this is really happening,” she thought.
Smith wanted to run and even made a quick move, but there was nowhere to go.
“Get behind the till right now,” the man yelled.
She didn’t move right away. He pointed the knife at her again. Smith tried to stay calm.
“I’m not kidding around,” the man yelled.
She could see he was getting upset, but she said nothing to the man and walked quickly over to the counter.
Smith shut the half-door behind her because she was afraid he was going to follow her.
“Get your hands in the air. I want to see them,” he said.
She raised her hands.
“Give me all the money in the till,” he shouted.
Smith went to the till, opened it and tried to hand it to the man.
“No, just stack the money,” he said. “Give him the money and hopefully he just goes,” she thought.
She stacked a small amount of money in front of him. He grabbed it.
“Now, give me a pack of Next Blue regular and then I’ll go,” he said.
Smith gave him the cigarettes.
“Is he going to want anything else,” she thought.
She didn’t look at him because she didn’t want to see the knife.
After grabbing the cigarettes, the man ran out of the store, leaving Smith shaking like a leaf. She called the police.
Smith was in shock and just wanted to go home, she said.
“You feel trapped and can’t get out. There was nothing I could do about it.”
Sgt. Dave Pound of Charlottetown Police Services confirmed the department is investigating the robbery, but to date there have been no arrests.
Police are looking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect depicted in the video posted on the Charlottetown Police Services website.
Pound said these kinds of robberies have a common theme.
“We usually find in these types of incidents, drug abuse is the motivating factor.”
For those who may find themselves in the same situation as Smith, Pound advised against getting into a confrontation with the suspect.
“We encourage them to ask the suspect to leave. And notify police immediately.”
The owners of Needs convenience store at 259 St. Peters Rd. declined to comment on the investigation.
As for Smith, she said the incident has led her to quit her job.
She had been the victim of robbery before. The last one happened just before Christmas when a girl with a needle came right behind the counter, Smith said.
“I can’t have it happen a third time,” she said.
“It changed my life.”