Initial reports of an armed robbery at the Country Grocer on Bowen Rd. in Nanaimo turned out to be false, with no weapon found on two very intoxicated individuals. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

false alarm

Reported armed robbery prompts major police response near Nanaimo grocery store

Mar 13, 2025 | 9:42 AM

NANAIMO — Local Mounties appeared quickly and en masse to a local grocery store Wednesday evening, after reports of a gun being brandished.

RCMP members were called to the Country Grocer complex at the corner of Bowen Rd. and Dufferin Cres. on Wednesday, March 12 around 5:30 p.m. after reports from a security guard of an attempted robbery potentially involving a gun.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW two people ran from the store, but then lingered in the parking lot outside the neighbouring TD Bank.

“Our members quickly located those two individuals, took them under arrest at gunpoint, did not find a firearm, but they were detained while we investigated the scene. We called our Police Dog Services…they did what’s called an article search but they never found a firearm or anything associated to the suspects.”

O’Brien added the pair were “too intoxicated to be released at that point” and were held in RCMP cells overnight, before being released Thursday morning.

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No charges are pending against either individual.

Police reviewed security footage from Country Grocer and didn’t see a firearm as reported.

The incident drew a considerable response RCMP officers, who were on scene with guns drawn.

“Some people get very concerned for that, but we want people to understand…we only use certain intervention options based on the potential threat that we perceive. In this situation, we perceived that there was a firearm, and to such time that we can’t find it, or we ascertain there isn’t one, our firearms will be out and at the ready.”

No injuries were reported in the incident.

O’Brien added those who called in the potential firearm threat to 911 acted appropriately.

“They’re acting on the belief that there was a firearm, so they did the right thing. Of course, we respond and we don’t overreact, but we certainly have enough members to make sure that we can deal with the scene safely.”

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