On June 3rd, 2022 at 6:09 A.M. Kelowna RCMP were dispatched to a local area gas station after reports that it had been robbed. The male suspect threatened staff with a hypodermic needle before escaping with a carton of cigarettes. During the course of the investigation members were able to identify the known suspect male through video surveillance, however he had not been located.
Later that day on June 3rd, 2022 at 4:40 P.M. West Kelowna RCMP were dispatched to Walmart after two store employees where pepper sprayed during an attempted theft of multiple lap tops. In this case, the suspect male who matched the description of the male from the earlier robbery also managed to allude police.
The suspect was seen getting into a taxi cab by an off duty West Kelowna RCMP officer. It was determined that the taxi cab had dropped the male suspect off in Kelowna in the 1600 block of Pandosy Street. Kelowna RCMP attended the location and subsequently arrested the suspect after a brief foot chase.
Robin John Hardie of no fixed address out of Penticton, BC is charged for these two robberies and breaching his conditions as a result of not complying to court orders stemming from a series of previous robberies in May 2022.
“This coordinated effort shows the excellent work done by the Kelowna Regional Detachment, “ said Sergeant Desmond Kiehlbauch of Kelowna RCMP Proactive Enforcement. “Mr. Hardie has put the public at risk with his recent brazen actions and his arrest will hopefully stop him from traumatizing the public and businesses.”