The Abbotsford Police Department has released video surveillance images from the two robberies that occurred Tuesday night in Abbotsford.
The robberies involved the same suspect.
In the first, at 4:45 p.m. at the Red Apple Food Store on Marshall Road, the suspect was wearing a dark sweatshirt with green designs on the front and back, a baseball cap with light-coloured designs and dark sunglasses.
He approached the female cashier, produced a handgun and demanded cash. He then fled, likely to a nearby vehicle, according to police.
In the second incident, at 5:30 p.m. at the Esso convenience store on Huntingdon Road, the man had a brief conversation with the female cashier, and then left without making a purchase.
He returned to the store 10 minutes later, again spoke to the cashier and then demanded money.
The suspect ran east from the store, and is again believed to have fled in a vehicle parked nearby.
In this case, the man was wearing a white zippered shirt with a dark chevron on the front (photo at left), and he turned his ball cap backward when interacting with the clerk.
Customers were in both locations at the same time as the suspect. Police are wanting to speak with anyone who was in the Red Apple between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. and the Esso from 5:20 to 5:45 p.m.
The suspect is described as Caucasian, 20 to 30 years old, 5′ 8″ to 5′ 10″ with a medium build.
There have been four previous armed robberies in Abbotsford, since Sept. 16, involving a suspect with the same physical description. In all cases, the stores were empty of customers at the time, minimal staff were on hand, and all the staff have been female.
Another armed robbery in Abbotsford involved a suspect of a slightly different description.
This brings to seven the number of armed business robberies in the city since mid-September.
Two have also taken place in Mission, involving a suspect of the same description.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Abbotsford Police at 604-859-5225, text abbypd (222973) or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
