A report of a firearm and possible robbery at a Nanaimo grocery drew a large police response, but turned out to be false.
Police rushed to the Country Grocer store at the Bowen Road and Dufferin Crescent intersection at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, when a caller reported a person possibly had a handgun.
“We responded, two individuals were pointed out, we found them in the parking lot,” said reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson.
“Given the fact that we thought the person had a firearm, we produced our firearms.”
Both suspects were taken into custody without incident.
A police dog did not find any gun. Investigators also reviewed the store’s security camera footage which had recorded “different interactions with the suspect in and around the store,” but no gun was visible, O’Brien said.
“Both [individuals] were highly intoxicated under the influence of drugs,” he said. “It was determined that they would be held for the evening and released in the morning with no charges pending.”
O’Brien said police appreciated the call and understand members of the public may have been concerned by seeing police with their guns drawn.
“But when we receive a report of a firearm we treat it seriously and we use the intervention options we believe are needed to deal with it safely,” he said.
O’Brien added there was no evidence of a theft, but the suspects were “acting in a manner that caused concern.”
