Robbery suspect attacked retail workers with metal baseball bat, Vancouver police say

A man is facing six charges related to a violent robbery attempt in South Vancouver on Wednesday.

A 30-year-old man is facing robbery and assault charges after an incident that sent a South Vancouver retail worker to hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Daniel Brandon Samuel Valleau has been charged with two counts of assault with a weapon and one count each of assault, assault causing bodily harm and breaching a release order, the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release Thursday.

According to the VPD, officers were called to the business near the intersection of Marine Drive and Ontario Street around 2:45 p.m. for a report that a man had “attempted to steal several hundred dollars in merchandise, including a metal baseball bat.”

“When a staff member attempted to stop him, the suspect allegedly struck the worker multiple times with the bat,” the VPD release reads.

The suspect then fled, assaulting other staff members who attempted to stop him, police said.

“Witnesses helped police take the suspect into custody,” the release reads.

According to police, the retail worker suffered “serious injuries to the head and face,” and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Valleau remains in custody pending a bail hearing, police said.

Online court records indicate the hearing was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Vancouver provincial court.

Valleau also appears to be due in court Thursday for several other offences.

Online court records show an accused with the same name and year of birth facing charges of assault, theft over $5,000 and breaching a release order, all of which were laid on April 6, less than two weeks ago.

Those offences are alleged to have taken place in Vancouver.

Another court file shows three additional counts of assault and one count of assault by choking, as well as another count of breaching a release order, again against an offender with the same name and year of birth.

Those assaults allegedly took place in Delta and Surrey in February, and that court file is marked as a “K file,” indicating it relates to alleged intimate partner violence.