The owner of a liquor store hit by an armed robber is relieved a suspect in the case has been arrested and is now going through the courts.
Christopher Carl Ferguson, 27, of Airdrie was arrested May 14 after a hit-and-run accident involving an SUV and a motor scooter on Highway 1 near Strathmore May 14.
Police say the victim who was riding the scooter is Piotr Glowacki of Poland, who was doing a round-the-world tour on his scooter.
Ferguson is accused of committing armed robbery of the Rocky Mountain Liquor store in Olds on May 8 as well as four other armed robberies of liquor stores in Carstairs, Cochrane and Airdrie.
He was scheuled to appear in provincial court in Calgary May 17, facing a total of 20 charges in relation to those incidents.
Charges against him include robbery with an offensive weapon, assault with a weapon, failing to comply with probation conditions, impaired operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, failing to remain at the scene of a collision, uttering threats and public mischief.
RCMP say more charges may be laid as well.
Police say they caught up with Ferguson after a hit-and-run collision between an SUV and a motorcycle occurred east of Strathmore on May 14 about an hour after he is alleged to have robbed a liquor store in Carstairs.
ìA few minutes after the collision, RCMP received a call from the registered owner of the car, claiming that his vehicle had been stolen in Airdrie,î an RCMP news release says.
ìRCMP police dog services were brought in and tracked the driver of the SUV from the collision scene into a nearby field.
ìTwenty-seven-year-old Christopher Ferguson, the registered owner, was arrested for failing to remain at the scene of an accident. The vehicle had not been stolen and investigators believe that call was placed in an attempt to avoid apprehension.î
Olds RCMP as well as RCMP from Airdrie, Didsbury and Cochrane worked on the case together.
ìSurveillance footage and witness descriptions led investigators to determine that the same person was responsible for all five robberies,î the release says.
Rocky Mountain Liquor Store owner Vick Bagga is pleased a suspect has been caught in connection with the robbery of his store as well as the others.
ìIt's amazing,î Bagga told the Albertan. ìI am thankful to all the police and whoever was involved in it. I feel a little bit relieved, but we still have to be careful in the future to prevent that.î
The May 8 incident was the second time in four months and the third time in about four years that Bagga's store has been hit by armed robbery.
Bagga praised RCMP for being ìvery vigilantî in this case.
He's hoping the fact this suspect was captured so quickly will deter others from robberies in the community.
ìI was concerned about the safety of my customers as well (as my staff). What happens in front of a customer while a customer is here,î he asked.
Bagga used to live in Calgary and Toronto. He says he enjoys the quieter life in Olds and hopes life will stay relatively quiet, especially now that a suspect has been arrested.
Olds RCMP Cpl. Michael Black says information from the Olds detachment helped catch the suspect.
ìIt worked out fairly well,î Black says.
ìWe had our own initial investigation. It's part of our information that we fanned out was what spearheaded the identification of the fellow.
ìIt was I guess fortunate for us that he kept committing robberies all over the place ñ until he was caught.î
"I am thankful to all the police and whoever was involved in it. I feel a little bit relieved, but we still have to be careful in the future to prevent that." VICK BAGGAOWNER ROCKY MOUNTAIN LIQUOR
