A Sarnia man has been arrested after a pair of local convenience stores were robbed.
Chatham-Kent Police responded to a Grand Avenue East store shortly before 8 o’clock Sunday morning, with a second incident reported just before 2:30pm on Harvey Street. In both cases, authorities say a man walked in and stole lottery tickets, in one case the accused allegedly resorted to violence while brandishing a knife.
The K9 unit was called in and officers were deployed to monitor other convenience stores across the city.
Video surveillance helped to identify a suspect and connected the accused to similar thefts on St Clair Street and Queen Street earlier in the week.
The suspect was spotted heading toward a Richmond Street store around 10 o’clock Saturday night and was arrested.
The 26-year-old is now charged with three counts each of theft under $5000, possession of stolen property, and failing to comply with a probation order, as well as robbery with theft, robbery with a weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
The man was remanded into custody and transferred to the Southwest Regional Detention Centre.
Chatham-Kent Police say lottery tickets are regulated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which has tracing capabilities. Anyone attempting to cash in stolen tickets will face arrest.