Penticton

RCMP in Penticton and Golden have solved a pair of recent drug store armed robberies in their respective communities.

The robberies occurred just weeks apart and were believed to have been committed by the same suspects.

Within a month, investigators arrested and charged two Okanagan men.

Charged are:

• Lucas Holman, 28 of Penticton
• Travis Hutzul, 32 Penticton

The pair made a court appearance in Invermere on Wednesday.

Each is charged with two counts of Robbery.

Lucas Holman was remanded into custody until March 12th.

Travis Hutzul pleaded guilty to 2 counts of Robbery, receiving a sentence of one year in custody per count.

The first incident occurred in Princeton on Wednesday Jan. 30. Shortly after noon Princeton RCMP received the report that two males had robbed the Princeton Shoppers Drug Mart pharmaceutical counter at knife point.

Both males brandished pocket knives during the robbery and fled through the rear door with a large amount of prescription medication.

The second occurred in Golden on Saturday Feb. 16 shortly before 2:30 p.m.

The Golden RCMP received an identical report that two males entered the Peoples Drug Mart and went directly to the pharmaceutical counter.

Once behind the counter one of the suspects threatened the pharmacist with a knife and demanded that he turn over narcotic type prescription drugs.

The pair again obtained a large quantity of drugs and fled the store last seen on foot.

Holman and Hutzul were arrested without incident on Feb. 22 in a mobile home just outside of Golden.

Evidence related to the robberies was also located during the arrests.

“As result of some good basic information sharing and tenacious police work, investigators from two BC RCMP jurisdictions were able to link the two crimes in short order, quickly identifying the suspects and arrested the two accused before they had a chance to possibly re-offend and cause any further risk to public safety.” says RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.