Police service dog, ice tracks down suspected bank robber

NowMedia staff | January 21, 2018 in Kelowna

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Kelowna RCMP have now made four arrests as they continue to investigate two separate, however bizarrely related, crimes carried out Saturday afternoon in Kelowna.

This afternoon, just moments before 4 p.m., police responded to reports of an armed robbery just committed at the TD Canada Trust located at 1950 Harvey Avenue in Kelowna. Police learned that an unknown male suspect entered the financial institution moments before closing time and produced a note to a teller, which demanded cash.

The suspect fled the bank, with an undisclosed amount of cash, to a vehicle waiting nearby. He chose to abandon the money after a dye pack exploded, turning it unusable and worthless. The suspect fled the area prior to police arriving on the scene.

In a bizarre turn of events a male and a female bystander, who police do not believe were associated to the bank robbery suspect, located the abandoned money. The man allegedly picked up the stolen cash stained with dye, placed it inside the couple’s vehicle and the woman drove away with it.

“Many of our resources, who were responding to the armed bank robbery, were then forced to investigate the subsequent crime committed,” says Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey. “After arriving on scene, Kelowna RCMP arrested the 46-year-old Kelowna man who allegedly obstructed our police investigation, he now faces potential charges.”

The woman who drove away from the scene, later returned with the stolen cash, where she was taken into police custody. She also faces potential charges.

“On Sunday afternoon, as a result of a continued investigation led by the Kelowna RCMP GIS Robbery Section, a suspect believed to be related to the armed robbery was identified and thought to be inside a home in the 100 block of Davie Road,” stated Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.

The suspect fled from that home and allegedly entered unlawfully into another dwelling in the immediate area. Kelowna RCMP police service dog Ice, who was brought in to track down and arrest that suspect, led officers to the man who was found hiding under the stairs inside the home.

RCMP continue to secure a residence in the 100 block of Davie Road as they await a search warrant.

A 44-year-old Kelowna man remains in police custody. He faces several potential charges.

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