Police have arrested 27 year old Christopher Ferguson of Airdrie in connection to a string of armed robberies earlier this month as well as a hit and run.

Beginning on May 8, a series of armed robberies at liquor stores in the region took place. The first occurred around 11:00pm on May 8 at a liquor store in Olds, when a man armed with a knife stole liquor and cash. Two days later, late in the night on May 10, two similar robberies occurred in Cochrane. In both cases, a man armed with a knife entered the liquor store and demanded money from the register before assaulting the staff and fleeing with liquor and cash.

A fourth robbery was carried out hours later in the early morning hours of May 11 in Airdrie. This time, the suspect fought the clerk and stole the entire tray from the cash register. A fifth and final robbery took place on May 14 in Carstairs, where the suspect was once again armed with a knife and stole cash and alcohol from a liquor store.

RCMP from Airdrie, Didsbury, Olds and Cochrane collaborated in their investigations, and determined the same person was responsible for all the robberies based on surveillance footage and witness descriptions.

An hour after the robbery in Carstairs on May 14, Strathmore RCMP responded to a collision between a motorcycle and an SUV on the eastbound lanes of Highway 1 at Range Road 274. The driver of the motorcycle was hospitalized with serious injuries, while the driver of the SUV fled on foot.

Within a few minutes of the collision, police received a call from the owner of the SUV, claiming that it was stolen.

RCMP police dog services were used to track down the driver of the SUV in a field near the scene of the collision. Ferguson, the owner of the SUV, was arrested for failing to remain at the scene of an accident. Investigators determined that the vehicle wasn't stolen and believe Ferguson placed the call in an attempt to avoid arrest.

Police then found evidence in the SUV tying Ferguson to the Carstairs robbery. After obtaining a search warrant and going through his Airdrie home, police found further evidence tying him to all five incidents.

Ferguson now faces 20 charges including robbery with an offensive weapon, assault with a weapon, failing to comply with probation conditions, impaired operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, failing to remain at the scene of a collision, uttering threats and public mischief.

 

Read More:

Armed Robbery in Cochrane and Airdrie

Police Investigate Airdrie Liquor Store Robbery

Cochrane Police Give Details on Armed Robberies

 

 

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