By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Man pulls knife on clerk after stealing booze, being chased from store: RCMP

Apr 5, 2018 | 4:50 PM

Nanaimo RCMP are reminding people not to be heroes after a clerk was threatened with a knife while chasing an alleged thief out of a downtown liquor store.

RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW Michael James Heywood, 31, is accused of robbing the Occidental Hotel Liquor Store on Selby St. on the evening of Wednesday, April 4.

O’Brien said Heywood allegedly grabbed two bottles of alcohol then ran out of the store. He said the clerk then gave chase and was allegedly threatened with a knife.

“We were there within minutes and with the assistance of our police dog we tracked him to a bushy area and located and arrested him without incident and recovered the booze and the knife.”

O’Brien said there were no injuries.

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Heywood is charged with robbery and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

O’Brien stressed retail workers and witnesses should not engage with suspects, but rather obey commands and call 911 when it’s safe to provide a description and explain where the suspect was last seen.

“In this particular case this individual was confronted with a knife. He could have turned it on the clerk, who could have been seriously injured.”

Heywood was released from custody. His next court date scheduled for April 24.

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