Hammer attack, forcible confinement: Sault man charged with two robberies

An undated exterior photo of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Division 2 building. (File photo/Supplied/Sault Ste. Marie Police Service)

A 43-year-old man faces multiple charges following two robberies in Sault Ste. Marie earlier this month, including one in which a victim was forcibly confined inside a residence.

At about 1:15 p.m. on May 8, 911 operators received a report of a robbery which had occurred days earlier at a residence in a multi-unit residential building in the 100 block of East Street.

“An investigation by officers with patrol services revealed the accused – and another individual who has already been arrested – broke into the victim’s unit, forcibly confined them inside a room, threatened to physically harm them, struck them with an object and stole numerous belongings,” police said in a news release.

Sault police said the victim and both accused were known to one another.

The victim sustained minor physical injuries.

Second incident

Around 2:40 p.m. on May 13, 911 operators received a report of another robbery which had occurred between 1:45 a.m. and 2 a.m. that morning at a residential complex in the 100 block of Church Street.

“An investigation by officers with patrol services revealed the accused forced a victim to give them their belongings under threat of physical harm,” said police.

“The accused then struck the victim with a hammer and threatened further harm if the victim did not continue giving them property on an ongoing basis.”

This victim and 43-year-old were also known to one another and this victim also sustained minor physical injuries.

Arrest, subsequent search

Around 3:15 p.m. on May 14, officers with the Division 2 Unit located the accused in the 0-100 block of Albert Street and took them into custody.

A search following the man’s arrest located about 1.01 grams of suspected cocaine, approximately 14.47 grams of suspected fentanyl, $260 in cash, a break-in instrument and three knives – one of which was concealed in their clothing.

Numerous charges laid

The accused is charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, breaking-and-entering a dwelling house to commit an indictable offence, two counts of robbery, extortion, forcible confinement, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, possession of break-in instruments and possession of property obtained by crime along with drug possession and a drug trafficking offence.

The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing.