Robbed and hit with a baton

Photo: Vernon RCMP

An armed robbery turned violent in Vernon Thursday morning. 

RCMP say two men entered the 7-11 convenience store at 1250 Middleton Way around 4:30 a.m.

The men were armed with what appeared to be extendable batons and started to ransack the store. 

The men then went behind the counter, where they allegedly grabbed cigarettes and an undisclosed amount of cash. 

Before running out of the store one of the men struck the employee on the leg with a baton. 

When police arrived they found two men in the area who matched the description of the suspects involved. The men ran. One man was arrested and the other got away. 

The Police Dog Service 'Cain' was called in to track the man, and quickly picked up a fresh track that lead police to a potential third suspect hiding under a tree.

"Officers were efficient in responding to the scene, setting up containment and ultimately identifying two potential suspects involved in the robbery," says RCMP Cst. Kelly Brett. 

A 16-year-old Vernon man remains in police custody and is facing charges related to the robbery. 

A 36-year-old Vernon man also remains in police custody and is facing potential charges related to the robbery. 

Both men are scheduled to appear in court March 8, 2018.

The employee injured during the incident suffered minor injuries.

The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171.

Or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.nokscrimestoppers.com