A 35-year-old man has been charged with an alleged May 24 armed hold-up at Salt Boutique in Smithers.
Devin Christopher Fuller will appear in court June 14 facing one count each of robbery and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Fuller was arrested shortly after the alleged crime took place when a Smithers conservation officer chased him down and apprehended him.
CO Ron Leblanc and his partner heard the call that Tuesday afternoon on their police dispatch radio about an armed robbery in progress at the Main Street store and they sprang into action.
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Having stopped to grab a coffee en route to a remote patrol cabin, the officers happened to be just a couple of blocks away.
The COs hit their lights and siren and joined the RCMP in the search for the suspect who had fled the scene of the alleged crime on foot.
They spotted him moments later, according to the Conservation Officer Service, and Leblanc jumped out of the patrol truck and chased the man down.
“It was just like out of a movie,” said Leblanc. “As he’s running, the cash is falling out of his pocket as we’re chasing him.”
RCMP took over from there.
editor@interior-news.com
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