One of BC’s top police investigators say we should not be surprised there’s been an escalation in violence by the man thought to be behind as many as five armed robberies in our area.
On Friday afternoon the masked suspect fired his shotgun while robbing the Kootenay Currency Exchange in Nelson.
Vancouver Police Inspector Les Yeo investigated armed robberies for nine years and says in up to 95% of cases drugs are the issue – bringing with it the cycle of addiction and crime.
Asked if the local community should now feel more worried, Yeo says people need to be more vigilant about their surroundings than overly-concerned.
He says while police have little to go on regarding visual ID, suspects always leave a trail and a suspicious person or vehicle call from the public often leads to their arrest.
RCMP continue to investigate four previous incidents – while Nelson police handle Friday’s file.
