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Employee shaken as central Island liquor store robbed at gunpoint

Disguised suspect nabbed cash, ran away from Arlington Inn Beer and Wine in Nanoose Bay
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A suspect with a gun robbed the Arlington Liquor Store in Nanoose Bay on June 3. - Karly Blats photo

A Nanoose Bay liquor store employee was left terrified after being robbed at gunpoint on June 3.

The Arlington Inn Beer and Wine store employee, who asked to not be named, said they were cleaning the bathroom at approximately 5:30 p.m. when the door bell chimed.

“I turned around to take off my glove and the guy was screaming ‘give me all your money,’” the employee said. “I stood there for a bit thinking it was just a joke until I saw his gun and he just wanted all the money, he wanted everything.”

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The employee said the suspect was disguised from head to toe and was pointing a gun in their face.

“I just went to the till and I opened my till, I passed [the money] to him, he dumped it in the bag and he left,” the employee said. “As he was leaving he was saying not to say anything because he knows who I am.”

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The employee said the Oceanside RCMP were able to get surveillance footage of the suspect from security cameras at the liquor store.

“The man was described as approximately six foot, medium build, with a dark green T-shirt wrapped around his head and face,” stated a release from the Oceanside RCMP. “[He] was wearing a green long-sleeve T-shirt, green latex gloves, dark blue jeans and sneakers. He was carrying a dark blue or black backpack. The male was also holding a handgun throughout the robbery.”

The release states that the suspect grabbed the employee, pushed them behind the counter and made them grab the cash float. The suspect put the float box in his backpack and ran away, east along the front of the building and into a treed area that parallels the highway.

It is unknown whether there was a vehicle associated with the suspect.

The Oceanside RCMP ask anyone with information to call them at 250-248-6111 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

karly.blats@pqbnews.com

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