Iqaluit RCMP charge two youth in second Quickstop robbery

This Iqaluit Quickstop and fast food outlet was robbed for the second time in a week April 12. Iqaluit RCMP have arrested two youth in connection with the latest robbery but say it’s “too early yet” to connect it to the April 6 robbery. (FILE PHOTO)

(Updated, 4:36 p.m.)

For the second time in a week, armed thieves held up the Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut Quickstop in Iqaluit, but this time police have arrested and charged two suspects.

An April 13 news release from the RCMP says that police responded to a call about an armed robbery at the Quickstop at about 2 p.m. on April 12.

A short time later, members of the RCMP arrested two men and “recovered a firearm in relation to this event,” the news release said.

There were no customers in the store at the time and no one was injured, the release said.

Two young male offenders appeared before a justice of the peace in Iqaluit April 13 for a bail review hearing on numerous robbery and firearm-related charges.

Those charges included possession of break-in instruments, possession of property obtained by crime and multiple firearm offences for each youth.

The identities of the youths, who appeared separately, are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act because they are under 18 years of age.

Laura Walker, defence lawyer for one of the youths, asked the justice of the peace for a one-day adjournment of the bail review hearing.

That adjournment would allow Walker to speak to the youth’s mother, who Walker said sat in the court gallery at the time, about being a surety for her young son.

The justice of the peace adjourned both bail review hearings until April 14.

Afterwards, a middle-aged woman sitting in the court gallery wiped away tears, sobbing once.

The same Quickstop was robbed just a week ago.

The RCMP reported then that its members responded to a call at that location shortly before 10 p.m. on April 6 not long after two suspects, holding what appeared to be a rifle, held up an employee working the cash register.

Both individuals wore “all black clothing and had their faces covered,” an RCMP news release said.

Though police brought in search dogs, they were unable to locate any suspects.

Another robbery on March 31 involved two men who held up a taxi driver.

The cabbie said two males in ski masks and dark jackets hailed a taxi near the Storehouse Bar and then “became violent and demanded money” when they got to their destination.

No one was injured and the suspects fled on foot. The RCMP have made no arrests yet in relation to that incident either.

with files from Thomas Rohner