Police asking for help to identify robbery suspects
Cell phone store robberies have been a growing problem in Calgary and we are asking for the public’s help to identify four suspects in one such armed robbery that occurred in late November.
Around 6:40 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, four unknown men forced their way into a locked TELUS cell phone store located at 33 Heritage Meadows Way S.E.
Two staff members were assaulted and threatened with a weapon. The suspects then filled bags with Apple products and fled.
Both staff members at the store were left with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect descriptions available for each person involved are:
- Suspect #1: Approximately 19 to 20 years old, 5'5" to 5’6’’ tall, with a stocky build and high-pitched voice. He was wearing a puffy grey jacket.
- Suspect #2: Approximately 19 to 21 years old, 6'2" tall, with a slim build and clean-shaven face. He was wearing a grey hoody and dark-grey sweatpants.
- Suspect #3 and #4: Both approximately 5’8” to 6’ tall, with a slim build.
Photos of four of the suspects are available on The City of Calgary Newsroom.
“Cell phone store robberies are concerning for staff, customers and our communities, especially when offenders threaten or harm citizens,” says Detective Stephen Horton of the Calgary Police Service Robbery Unit. “Our priority is ensuring public safety, and we are constantly working with store owners to implement crime prevention measures to help deter criminal activity and ensure their spaces are safe.”
In addition to helping identify suspects, the public can also help stop these violent crimes by checking to see if cell phones that are for sale online have been reported as stolen.
People buying phones in private sales can visit the Device Check website to see if the IMEI number of the phone they are interested in purchasing has been entered into the national database, thereby indicating that the phone has been reported stolen and is unusable.
It is recommended consumers ask the seller for the IMEI number beforehand to check it. If the IMEI number is not listed, buyers should consider waiting a few days before checking it again in case the phone is stolen and hasn’t yet been reported.
Since the IMEI number of a stolen device can only be added to the national database by wireless service providers, it is also crucial for victims of cell phone theft to alert their service providers immediately.
People should also follow the adage that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If someone is selling a new phone for a fraction of its price in a store, it should raise a red flag.
“Buying a phone that you think could be stolen may not seem like a big deal, but you run the very real risk of paying for a phone that you won’t be able to use since stolen phones usually end up blocked by all networks,” says Detective Horton. “Not to mention the purchase of phones obtained through crime perpetuates the theft and robbery cycle.”
Anyone with information about the location of the suspects is asked to call the CPS non-emergency line at 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
APP: "P3 Tips"
Case #20472473/4214
