Police are searching for two armed robbers who held up the Capri Centre VLT Lounge with long-barrelled guns, fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.
It was the second time in six months the Capri’s VLT Lounge was robbed with guns.
The latest incident involved two males — one brandishing a rifle and the other a shotgun. The robbers entered the VLT Lounge at 9:10 p.m. Monday night. As one suspect emptied the till, the other yelled orders, intimidating lounge patrons.
According to Red Deer City RCMP, the suspects seized an undisclosed amount of money and fled. They entered a nearby waiting vehicle, believed to be a pickup truck, and were seen driving south out of the parking lot.
While police patrolled the city, no getaway truck was found.
No one was injured during the robbery, but people were shaken up.
Red Deer City RCMP Cst. Chris Kosack said some witnesses were too unnerved by the suspects’ weapons to get a full description. “They were looking at their guns instead of their faces.”
The first robber was described as having his face partially covered with a kerchief or balaclava. He was 170-173 cm tall (five-foot-seven or eight), weighing 86 to 98 kg (190 to 215 lbs) and was wearing a bright blue hoodie and black ball cap.
The second suspect was described as being 183 cm tall (six feet), wearing a blue hoodie that was pulled up on his head, and jeans.
Kosack isn’t sure why the hotel’s lounge was again singled out after being robbed in broad daylight in May.
Changes — such as emptying tills earlier — were made to make the place a less likely target, said Kosack, who believes it’s still early in the investigation to answer that question.
He also isn’t sure whether the two robberies are linked, saying “We aren’t ruling anything out.”
The May 1 robbery was described as unfolding like a scene from a movie. Two males, believed to be in their early 20s, entered the lounge at 10:20 a.m., their faces concealed behind sunglasses and hoods pulled up over their heads.
One man pointed a loaded shotgun, and the other carried an extendable baton. They also shouted orders and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing into a waiting vehicle — a burgundy Dodge Spirit that was stolen from somewhere else in Red Deer. It was driven by a third suspect.
No arrests have yet been made.
This week’s robbery is still under investigation by city RCMP, with assistance from the Red Deer Forensic Identification Section.
Anyone with information about either crime is asked to call police at 403-343-5575 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or go on-line to www.tipsubmit.com. Tipsters can get up to $2,000 if their information leads to an arrest.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com
— copyright Red Deer Advocate