The third robbery involving a stocky gun-toting man has occurred in Abbotsford in just over a week.
The latest incident took place at 1:35 p.m. Monday at the Mt. Lehman liquor store in the 30400 block of Cardinal Avenue. The man went to the cash register with a handgun displayed, demanded cash from a store employee and immediately left the store.
The suspect is described as Caucasian, in his 30s, wearing light-coloured clothing, a dark baseball cap and sunglasses.
This is a similar description to the suspect in the two previous robberies. Those took place on Sunday, May 26 at a liquor store in the 1900 block of North Parallel Road and on Saturday, June 1 at a bank in the 32100 block of South Fraser Way.
Photos from surveillance videos were released in the first two incidents, but not in the most recent one.
In all three cases, the man was wearing glasses and a baseball cap. He has been described as 5' 8" to 5' 9" tall with a stocky build.
Const. Ian MacDonald said although the suspect might appear to be the same one in all three robberies, police cannot rule out the possibility that a group of men – wearing similar costumes – could be involved.
MacDonald has previously said that robberies of this nature tend to happen in sprees, either by an individual usually desperate for drug money or by a crime ring.
Witnesses within the businesses have lost sight of the man once he leaves the store, and police are not sure whether he is leaving on foot or by vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225, text abbypd (222973) or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.