A man who reportedly robbed a West Vancouver convenience store at knifepoint on the weekend managed to evade police despite the involvement of a dog team, a forensics unit and a helicopter.
The suspect walked into the store in the 1400-block of Marine Drive a little after midnight last Saturday and asked the clerk for cigarettes, according to investigators.
As the employee reached for them, the man allegedly produced a knife, darted behind the counter and demanded money from the register.
The clerk handed over approximately $100, and the man fled.
West Vancouver police raced to the scene, bringing a canine unit with them and calling in an RCMP helicopter and forensics team to help find the suspect. They were unable to track him down, however.
The Caucasian man, who wore a black toque and jacket, remains at large.
Meanwhile, North Vancouver RCMP are hoping the public can help lead them to suspects who robbed a North Vancouver 7-Eleven with a similar M.O. in two incidents back in May.
Police released surveillance photos of the masked suspects this week after a long wait to get the photos from 7-Eleven's security officials, according Cpl. Richard De Jong, a spokesman for the North Vancouver RCMP.
Two masked men brandishing large knives entered the store in the early morning of May 14, demanded cash and cigarettes from the lone clerk, and fled the scene.
The first suspect was about six feet tall, wearing a shiny red mask and dark hooded sweater with a white logo. The second suspect stood five feet six inches and covered part of his face with a red-and yellow-stripped bandana. He was wearing a green hoodie with markings on the chest, knee-length denim shorts and white shoes with green laces.
The same store was hit just three days later when a lone man entered, threatened the clerk with a large knife, grabbed cash and cigarettes and ran off.
The suspect in the later incident was five foot 10, between the ages of 30 and 40, and covered his face with a white bandana. He wore a dark jacket, black toque, dark sunglasses and black pants.
It's not known if the robberies are related but investigators are looking into that possibility, De Jong said.
Anyone with information on the heists is asked to contact North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311 or CrimeStoppers 1-800-222-8477.
