Ottawa police have made an arrest in connection to a string of pharmacy robberies this fall.
Police had issued an arrest warrant for a 39-year-old Joseph Arial. He has been arrested in Gatineau and returned to Ottawa. He will appear in Ottawa court on Dec. 18.
On Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, 2015, police say robberies at four pharmacies occured.
- 2100 block of Montreal Road - October 3 @ 9:40 a.m.
- 3900 block of Innes Road - October 3 @ 9:55 a.m.
- 3100 block of Strandherd Drive - October 5 @ 10:20 p.m.
- 1500 block of Bank Street - October 5 @ 11:30 p.m.
Police say in each case a lone man entered the pharmacy and produced a note demanding money and prescription drugs. In at least two of the cases, a second suspect was seen outside and a vehicle was seen waiting. In two cases, the suspect fled empty-handed, in one instance cash only was obtained, and in one, both drugs and cash were taken. There were no injuries.
Following the last robbery on Oct. 5, a stolen vehicle, believed to have been used in the robbery, was recovered in the Herongate area. That vehicle had been taken from the 1900 block of Jasper Avenue during the morning of Oct. 3, 2015.
Arial is now charged in connection with these investigations.
The 39-year-old Ottawa man is charged with:
- 4 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
- 2 counts of attempt to commit an indictable offence
- 2 counts of robbery
- 1 count of theft of vehicle
- 1 count of possession of stolen property
With files from the Ottawa Police Service
