By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Harewood liquor store robbed by man in Halloween costume

Oct 5, 2017 | 2:11 PM

NANAIMO — A Halloween scare came early for staff at a local Nanaimo liquor store. 

Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said the Harewood Arms liquor store on Eighth St. was robbed near the end of their day around 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30. Only staff were inside the store.

O’Brien said the suspect came in wearing a Halloween costume, skull mask, white bag and was armed with a knife and baseball bat. The bat was banged against the counter as the suspect, who RCMP said is likely a man, demanded money.

Once he was given the cash from the till, the suspect allegedly fled toward Howard Ave. The bat and knife were found later in the area.

“We have very little to go on,” O’Brien said. “All we have is he was wearing a Halloween mask and had this white packsack.”

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With Halloween only a few weeks away, O’Brien said RCMP typically see costumes used more and more in crimes and robberies leading up to the day. “It’s against the law to conceal your face when you rob a store, so this individual is now looking at two criminal code charges.”

Nanaimo RCMP said while thankfully no one was hurt during the robbery, the Harewood Arms staff are traumatized.

“The clerks did the best they could. Having somebody come in with a knife and bat and dressed like that is kind of creepy. It’s not something they should have to deal with but they did the best they could.”

The suspect is between 5’6″ and 5’9″ with a medium build.

island-news@jpbg.ca

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