A convenience store in Yellowknife was robbed by a knife-wielding man early this morning, say RCMP, marking the latest in a rash of robbery or robbery attempts in the city since the new year.
Just after midnight Friday, police responded to the Circle-K convenience store, formerly Mac's Milk Convenience Store, and known locally as "Winks," located on Forrest Drive off of Franklin Avenue, after a man entered the store and demanded cash, state RCMP.
No one was injured during the incident.
The armed robbery suspect is described by police as being 5'10, with a slender build and a “darker complexion.”
The man was wearing a black coat or sweater with a hood over his head, according to RCMP.
Anyone who may have been in the area of Franklin Avenue and Forrest Drive during the early morning hours Friday is urged to contact Yellowknife RCMP.
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“Information received from the public could provide valuable insight, to assist with the RCMP’s investigation into this incident,” states Staff Sergeant Yannick Hamel, Operations Manager for Yellowknife RCMP.
The incident is the latest in a string of robberies or robbery attempts reported to RCMP since January:
- Jan. 4, RCMP say a woman robbed Willy’s Convenience Store on Range Lake Road.
- Jan. 14, police say a man fled with cash from the Mac’s Convenience store (now Circle-K) after brandishing a knife.
- Feb. 13, Yellowknife Mounties say a man used what was believed to be a knife to demand cash from 48 Street’s First Nations Bank of Canada in brazen broad-daylight robbery.
- March 5, police say a man attempted to rob Kim’s Confectionery, located at the corner of Franklin Avenue and 54 Street, at knife-point. He was reportedly fought off by store employees.
- March 12, Two masked men, according to Yellowknife RCMP, entered the Sunlines Alterations and Convenience Store, making off with the store’s cash register just after the lunch hour in another afternoon robbery.
- April 20, a woman, according to RCMP, robbed Willy's Convenience store on Range Lake Road.
Charges have only been laid in relation to the the Jan. 4 and April 20 incidents. A 20-year-old woman is alleged to have carried out both robberies. She's also been linked to another alleged theft at a city store on April 17.
Police continue to investigate all other incidents.
With RCMP's report of Friday's knife-point robbery at Circle-K, the incident comes on the heels of two other notable incidents in the city in recent weeks, both of which sparked significant responses from Yellowknife Mounties.
On May 26, RCMP found a man suffering from a gunshot wound inside 53 Street's Grayling Manor apartment complex.
The apparent shooting, which is still under investigation, was followed by an alleged early morning robbery of a taxi driver near the same apartment complex on Wednesday.
Two men face robbery charges after they were later apprehended by RCMP on the same day, with the help of the a police dog and a "heavy police presence," that surround the suspects.
RCMP confirmed one of the suspects was injured by a RCMP dog after fleeing from police in Yellowknife's uptown area Wednesday afternoon.
Information about Friday's early morning robbery can also be passed along anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), online at http://www.nwtnutips.com or by texting NWTNUTIPS to 274637.
Updates to follow.