Police say, since July 2015, members of the St. Catharines 1 District Detective Office, with the assistance of the St. Catharines Street Crime Unit, Forensic Services Unit, Special Enforcement Unit, Niagara Regional Police Service K9 Unit and St. Catharines uniform patrol, began an investigation into a male suspected to be involved in a series of armed robberies in the City of St. Catharines.
In each of the robberies the male entered the store while brandishing a weapon and demanded cash from the clerk working at the time. No one was injured during the robberies.
As a result of the investigation, on Saturday, November 14th, 2015, police executed a search warrant at a St. Catharines residence and arrested a male. As a result of the search warrant, police seized a number of items in relation to the robberies which occurred at the following locations:
Robbery 1 Occurred on Wednesday, July 29th, 2015 at the Avondale located at 191 Welland Avenue.
Robbery 2 Occurred on Tuesday, August 18th, 2015 at the Avondale located at 191 Welland Avenue.
Robbery 3 Occurred on Thursday, August 20th, 2015 at the Avondale located at 191 Welland Avenue.
Robbery 4 Occurred on Friday, September 11th, 2015 at the Smokers Paradise located at 85 Niagara Street.
Robbery 5 Occurred on Saturday, September 12th, 2015 at Russell Variety located at 93 Russell Avenue.
Robbery 6 Occurred on Friday, October 9th, 2015 at Russell Variety located at 93 Russell Avenue.
Charged with six counts of Robbery contrary to section 343(d) of the Criminal Code of Canada, six counts of Disguise with Intent contrary to section 351(2) of the Criminal of Canada, six counts of Fail to Comply with Probation Order contrary to section 733.1(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada and one count of Assault with a Weapon contrary to section 267(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada is 32 year old Kyle Pirko of St. Catharines.
Kyle Pirko is scheduled to appear for a Bail Hearing at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse located at 59 Church Street, St.Catharines on Sunday, November 15th, 2015
Anyone with information regarding these robberies is asked to contact the 1 District Detective Office at 905-688-4111 Extension 4244.
