Police arrested a suspect minutes after a bank robbery in Nanaimo last night.
According to an RCMP press release, a 46-year-old man was arrested near Comox Road and Prideaux Street on Thursday night after allegedly robbing the TD Canada Trust on Dufferin Crescent.
The bank was robbed at about 5:40 p.m.
“Numerous officers responded to the incident which involved a lone male entering the bank, producing a note and then demanding money from a bank teller. After the money was handed over the suspect left in a taxi parked outside the bank,” the press release noted. “Officers were provided a description of the suspect which was similar to a male who had robbed a north end Nanaimo CIBC bank on Monday.”
RCMP say a taxi with two male passengers was stopped minutes after Thursday’s bank robbery and one of the men matched a description provided.
“After a brief struggle with officers, the suspect was arrested for the robbery and taken into custody,” the press release noted.
Police say the suspect had in his possession bear spray, a knife and a replica handgun, along with “a quantity of cash.”
On Monday, the CIBC in north Nanaimo was robbed and RCMP said later in the week they believed they had identified a suspect and were dedicating resources to try to arrest him. Police investigators believe the same suspect is responsible for Monday’s and Thursday’s robberies, but his name connot be released until he has been charged. Formal charges are expected within the next several days.
The other passenger who was in the taxi Thursday was taken into custody, but is not expected to face charges related to that night’s robbery.
