Skip to content

UPDATE: Police swarm Willoughby townhouse complex

Two still at large after robbery suspects drove to the townhouses after crime, leaving cash register and stolen car behind.
41648langleyPoliceseizedrawerwebversion
Langley RCMP officers entered a townhouse in the 20400 block of 66 Avenue Wednesday afternoon and then exited carrying a cash register that was one of two taken in a robbery at the Old Navy that same day. Police were pursuing suspects from the store hold-up.

Two suspects who robbed the Old Navy store and then fled to the a nearby townhouse complex, causing a flurry of police activity on Wednesday, are still at large.

Police were called around 12:30 p.m. when two men had entered the Old Navy store carrying knives and demanding the clerk open the tills. The clerk told them this could not be done without a manager, said police. The men weren’t satisfied with that answer, so they grabbed two entire cash registers and fled the store. Both suspects wore black hoodies, dark pants, gloves and bandanas.

Police believe they fled in a stolen vehicle to a nearby townhouse complex in the 20400 block of 66 Avenue.

Not even 10 minutes later, police were called about a break and enter in progress at a residence in that complex.

The suspects matched the description of the Old Navy culprits. Further, they were associated to the same stolen vehicle which was located there and later seized.

Police descended on the complex, telling residents to stay inside their homes while they investigated.

When police arrived they located one of the cash registers which has been seized for examination, said Cpl. Holly Marks.

A police dog attended but was unable to establish a track and the suspects were able to get away, said Marks.

One resident said there has been one problem unit in the complex. Some residents also said owners of that unit have allowed their pit bulls to roam free in the family-friendly complex.

Other neighbours thought the police situation was in connection to a person being bit by one of those dogs the day prior.

Langley animal shelter manager Sean Baker confirms that Langley RCMP did ask them to assist them to that residence to help with a dog fight and a person bit.

"From what we understand, the person that was bit was taken to hospital and was the owner of the dog," said Baker. The victim was visiting the person at that unit and his pit bull got in a fight with one of the residents' pit bull. This visitor tried to break up the fight and got bit.

"So we don't have a file on this case because we don't have a complainant," he said.

They do have one complaint of the two pit bulls roaming loose in the complex a couple weeks ago, but no notes of aggression.

Meanwhile, police are hoping to track down the suspects in the robbery. If you have any information call Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 or if you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
Read more