Two men have been arrested and charged for allegedly spraying a store employee in the eyes with WD-40 and making off with the store's safe.
The assault and robbery happened at the JYSK store in Country Club Centre Wednesday at about 7 p.m.
Two men came in through the store's front doors and sprayed WD-40 in the eyes of a store employee who confronted them.
The suspects then made off with the store's safe through the back warehouse entrance, got into a white SUV and escaped down the shopping centre's service alley toward Norwell Drive.
Police are keeping mum about the amount of money in the safe or other details about the crime.
The store clerk was treated at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for minor irritation to his eyes and released.
Both suspects were charged Friday after police arrested them Thursday night, just one day after the robbery.
Rickie Sugars, 37, has been charged with one count of robbery.
His alleged accomplice, Thane Patterson, 23, has also been charged with robbery, plus a charge of obstruction as a result of interaction police had with Patterson during the course of their investigation.
Mounties also recovered the stolen safe along with a portion of the money it contained at the time it was stolen, plus other items related to the robbery, when they searched a home, business and vehicle associated to Sugars.
Both men were released on promises to appear in Nanaimo provincial court Dec. 10.
The investigation is continuing.
Anyone with information about this crime or the suspects is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8577 or online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com.