Suspects held in robbery spree

In the early hours of Nov. 25, five men entered into the Couche-Tard depanneur on Ste. Catherine Street near Atwater. Four of the suspects dispersed throughout the store and one went up to the counter, showing the clerk an imitation 9mm pistol and demanding money and cigarettes. A second accomplice stuffed the money and cigarettes into a backpack and the suspects fled the store.

But they weren't done.

At 2:05 a.m., police believe they targeted a cabbie on Tupper and Sussex Streets, near the Montreal Children's Hospital, and at 4 p.m. on Nov. 26, another three robbers targeted a second corner store, this time stealing $200 in cash and 10 cartons of cigarettes. "They slept, woke up, and did another armed robbery," said Station 12 Constable Adalbert Pimentel. "The same suspect goes into another dep, this time in Montreal, and does another armed robbery with two accomplices."

This time, the clerk called 911 right after the robbery with a description of the suspects.

Officers began to search the area, while one police car headed straight to an address on Tupper. "It's an address that's known," said Pimentel. "It's a building where we know there's a lot of criminal activity."

The officers saw one of the suspects enter the building, and as they moved in for an arrest, he dropped his fake gun. Under police interrogation, he also gave up a couple of his accomplices. "The suspects are being held and will appear in court," Pimentel said.

They'll be charged with at least two armed robberies.

He said the clerks did the right thing: they didn't resist, they stayed calm, they gave the robbers what they wanted, and called police as soon as they could. "Don't resist," he said. "Your life is more valuable then a few dollars and some cigarettes. So if you're held up, stay calm, do what you're told, co-operate. The first priority is your safety, nothing else."