Two women are facing robbery charges after separate downtown Vancouver theft incidents escalated into alleged violence against security guards.
The Story
Two women are facing robbery charges following separate incidents in downtown Vancouver Thursday afternoon in which police say alleged thefts escalated into violence against security guards.
At approximately 3:20 p.m., police received a theft report from a clothing store near Granville and Robson streets. Staff told police that a woman stole several items of clothing and left the store without paying. When a security guard tried to arrest her, she allegedly became violent and bit the guard on the hand. The 60-year-old woman was arrested for robbery and remains in custody.
About an hour later, in the same area, police received another report that a woman stole a speaker from an electronics store and tried to leave without paying. When a security guard attempted to take the suspect into custody, she allegedly slashed the guard’s arm with a weapon and threatened to kill him before fleeing the scene. A description of the suspect was broadcast to officers working downtown.
About 20 minutes later, a Special Municipal Constable spotted a woman matching the description near Mainland and Nelson streets. Officers responded and arrested the suspect without incident. The 43-year-old woman was taken to jail and remains in custody, with charges including one count of theft, one count of uttering threats, one count of assault with a weapon, and one count of assault causing bodily harm.
Constable Megan Lui said the incidents highlight “the dangers that frontline retail workers and security staff can encounter,” adding that “Violence and threats against people preventing crime are unacceptable, and the Vancouver Police Department remains committed to holding offenders accountable.”
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