Police release video of bear-spray robbery in downtown Vancouver
Vancouver police have released surveillance video showing the robbery involving bear spray that occurred in a downtown boutique last week.
The 50-second clip, shared by the Vancouver Police Department on Friday, shows a woman wearing all black and a surgical mask entering Once More Luxury Boutique at the corner of Howe and Helmcken streets.
She browses for a while and is approached by an employee. Around the same time, a man enters the store, and the woman begins to make her way toward the exit.
Vancouver police say the man bear-sprayed workers in the face before grabbing clothes off a rack and leaving along with the woman. The actual attack appears to happen just off screen in the video.
The VPD says its investigators believe the man and the woman worked together to commit the robbery, which happened shortly before 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30.
“It’s likely these suspects live nearby or frequent the area, and we’re hoping someone who recognizes them will call police so we can begin to hold them accountable,” said VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison, in a news release.
Police provided photos of both suspects, and estimated that the woman is in her 30s. They did not estimate the age of the male suspect.
“Everything about this crime was premeditated, and we know from experience that criminals like this often strike multiple times before they get caught,” Addison said, adding that stolen property is often resold "for pennies on the dollar" online and in the Downtown Eastside.
“Tips from the public have helped solve a number of violent assaults this year in Vancouver, and we’re again asking the public to assist," he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 604-717-4034.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.