Saskatoon man arrested following string of armed robberies

A Saskatoon Police Service badged is shown onto an officers’ uniform in Saskatoon, Sask., on Friday, May 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu

A 37-year-old Saskatoon man was arrested following a string of armed robberies on Monday.

The first was reported by a business in the 1500 block of 22nd Street West around 1:45 a.m., according to a Saskatoon Police Service news release.

Patrol officers learned a man had tried to leave the store with items he didn’t pay for. When confronted, police say he threatened staff with a large machete and ran. The business gave security camera footage to police to help the investigation.

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Around 9 p.m. Monday night, officers were called to another robbery, this time in the 1700 block of Preston Avenue North, where a security guard was threatened with bear mace after confronting a suspected thief. The suspect was gone when police arrived, but the officers left the scene with more video evidence.

Less than an hour later, another robbery was reported at a different business on the same block of Preston Avenue.

Officers arrived minutes later and identified the suspect, who based on the video evidence, police believe was responsible for all three robberies.

The 37-year-old man faces charges including robbery, possession of a weapon to commit an offence, unauthorized carry of a concealed weapon, mischief under $5,000 and theft under $5,000.