Skip to content

Drugstore robbery suspects reserve pleas

Two men charged in two drugstore robberies more than a month ago reserved their pleas on Wednesday.

Two men charged in two drugstore robberies more than a month ago reserved their pleas on Wednesday.

Allan Giesbrecht, 36, of Red Deer, is charged with two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.

James Wilkinson, 25, of Red Deer faces two charges of robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, obstruction of a peace officer and two counts of breaching a recognizance.

Wilkinson remains in custody while Geisbrecht, who is out on bail, is moving to Calgary and doesn’t have a lawyer yet.

They both return to court on Sept. 7.

A trail of suspicious activity at three Central Alberta drug stores on July 6 led police to arrest two men.

RCMP said that employees of the Rimbey Value Drug Mart reported that a man entered the store. He approached the prescription drug counter and produced a note demanding prescription drugs. Staff refused to provide the drugs and he fled.

A short time later, an individual matching the description of the man in Rimbey was observed in the area of the Bentley IDA Pharmacy. No attempt at a robbery was made at this location.

Then at 7:45 p.m., Blackfalds RCMP detachment members responded to a complaint of a robbery at the IDA Drug Store in Blackfalds.

A man demanded and was given prescription drugs. He fled the drug store and left the scene in a waiting vehicle.