An Edmonton man and a Prince George woman face charges in connection with a pair of violent and brazen robberies in the city on Sunday morning.
Derek Michael Leo Henry, 32, and Georgina Anne West, 41, were arrested shortly after Prince George RCMP received two calls in quick succession about incidents near the corner of 20th Avenue and Victoria Street.
In the first call, received at 7:30 a.m., police were told the victim of a mugging showed up in the emergency room at University Hospital of Northern B.C. suffering from injuries exacted when a man on a bike come up from behind and struck him on the head several times with a what appeared to be a “lanyard and ball,” before kicking him and making off with his cellphone.
The mugging occurred at about 6:30 a.m. and the victim made his way on foot to the hospital.
Four minutes after the first call, RCMP were called to the 7-11 convenience store on 20th Avenue where a man had threatened staff with a metal bike lock and chain and demanded all of the cigarettes.
When staff refused, he left and the door was locked.But an accomplice had remained inside and, when the man returned, let him back in. This time he was carrying metal pipe and chain and used them to smash the front counter before climbing over and grabbing five packs of cigarettes.
As the two made their getaway, they checked for unlocked vehicle doors as they went, witnesses told police.
RCMP flooded the area and within three minutes of the second call coming in, they had both suspects in custody and had recovered the cigarettes and cellphone.
Henry remains in custody on two counts of robbery and one count each of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Crown counsel has also approved one count each of robbery and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose against West who was released on $500 bail.
