Charge withdrawn

A North Kentville man accused of robbing the Ultramar convenience store in Kentville last July has had that charge against him withdrawn but has been sentenced on other property-related offences.

Travis Wayne Arthur Riley, 26, was present in Kentville provincial court on May 1 when the Crown withdrew a charge of using violence in stealing property from the convenience store.

It had been alleged that Riley committed the offence on July 19, 2016. The convenience store was robbed at around 1 a.m. on that date. The suspect, apparently unarmed, hid his face and demanded money from a clerk at the store.

The suspect exited the store with several packages of cigarettes and fled on foot. The clerk wasn’t harmed. RCMP Dog Services were called to assist with the investigation.

The Valley Street Crime Enforcement Unit, Kentville Police and Kings RCMP arrested Riley in connection with the robbery on July 27. The Kentville Police said at the time that numerous tips from the public led to the arrest.

Riley changed his pleas to guilty on several other property-related offences on May 1, including four counts of stealing a Flir infrared thermometer valued at less than $5,000 from Canadian Tire; stealing Ecko motion headphones valued at less than $5,000 from Canadian Tire and failing to comply with his recognizance.

Two counts of committing mischief by wilfully damaging a Flir infrared thermometer, the property of Canadian Tire, and another count of failing to comply with his recognizance were dismissed.

Judge Alan Tufts sentenced Riley to one day in custody deemed served on each of the six charges. Riley was sentenced to 12 months of reporting probation and was fined $600 in victim surcharges.

The court also granted a stand-alone restitution order for $1,844.95 payable to Canadian Tire, New Minas.

Riley committed the offences in New Minas on Dec. 22 and 23, 2016, and on Jan. 2, 3 and 15, 2017.