Messages of concern are pouring into a small Red Deer store that was robbed on Wednesday afternoon, the first criminal attack it has suffered since opening in 1991.
At about 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon, while the store was full of customers, a young man entered the Little Ice Cream and Soda Shoppe on Ross Street at Michener Hill and demanded money from the staff on duty.
Greg Little, co-owner of the store with his wife, Krista Dellert, said on Thursday that the two young women working at the time co-operated with the request and the robber fled with some cash.
He was described to police as being a pale Caucasian with dark hair, in his early 20s, wearing a charcoal grey hooded sweatshirt, matching pants and white runners.
There was no weapon shown, said Const. Sabrina Grunow, a media liaison officer with the Red Deer City RCMP.
Little, who was out of the store at the time of the robbery, said the robber was not disguised, but was trying to hide his face behind his shirt. People in the store at the time did not recognize the man, he said.
He praised his two female workers for keeping their cool during the robbery.
“He came into the store and demanded money. They did what they were supposed to do and gave him money.”
Both staff returned to work on Thursday and they, along with long-time customers, now feel angry about the incident, he said.
“The concern we’re having from customers who heard it on the radio is that the girls are OK. I think everybody is pretty angry. It’s quite violating.
“We have girls that have worked for us for years and it’s like a family. I’m getting text messages from kids on holidays in Kelowna. Everybody is concerned about everybody else’s welfare. The kids really look after each other.”
RCMP continue to seek a suspect.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com