Chance encounter leads to off-duty police officer arresting suspected violent robber

A man suspected of bear-spraying his victims in lottery ticket heists was arrested by an off-duty city police officer this weekend.

While browsing at the Beacon Hill Canadian Tire store on Saturday, the off-duty officer noticed a man fitting the description of a suspect in the investigation of a series of thefts from city convenience stores. The suspect appeared to be focused on display cases containing bear spray and pellet guns. He had a crowbar and bolt cutters in a shopping cart.

“The officer happened to be the supervisor in charge of part of the robbery investigation … (He) co-ordinated the arrest of the suspect,” said a police statement.

A stolen Subaru was then located and a search of the vehicle turned up a number of items related to the thefts that date back to Feb. 14 when the 2005-vintage sedan was taken.

After the vehicle theft, police say the suspect allegedly stole cash, expensive sunglasses and a cellphone at various retail locations across the city.

On Feb. 21, the man allegedly stole scratch lottery tickets and in some cases cigarettes at four different locations.

At the Circle K store at 7930 Bowness Rd. N.W. and Browns Grocery at 2101 - 20 Ave. N.W., the clerks were doused in bear spray during the thefts.

The suspect was identified from closed-circuit TV footage.

Robert Duncan Ellerbeck, 36, is charged with a number of theft, robbery and weapons charges and was also arrested on five outstanding warrants. He’s to appear in court on Wednesday.

But the good fortune of city police didn’t stop with one arrest at the Canadian Tire. Another man wanted on multiple outstanding warrants — who just happened to be in the store — was also picked up by officers. Arrested on 11 criminal warrants was Tyron Perry Stokes, 52.