An 11-year-old is among a group of youths arrested following the robbery of a liquor store and the armed robbery of a Calgary bus driver on Tuesday evening.
Calgary police say a bus driver was parked at Erlton Station around 11:45 p.m. when they were approached by a young person with a knife.
The youth allegedly told the driver to hand over their phone. The driver de-escalated the situation, according to police, and the suspect left with some cash before rejoining a group of teens who were standing outside the bus.
The bus driver called police and officers were able to find the teens and take them into custody at 25 Avenue SW and Macleod Trail.
An 11-year-old boy was arrested in connection to the bus driver robbery and was released into the custody of a parent. A child under 12 cannot be charged with a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada.
After further investigation, police determined the same group of teens was connected to an earlier robbery at a downtown liquor store that happened about an hour before.
Police allege the group entered a store near 11 Avenue SW and 5 Street SW and stole several bottles of liquor worth more than $200.
A 14-year-old girl is facing charges for shoplifting and failure to comply with a release order. A 16-year-old girl has charges pending in connection with the liquor store theft.
“While the teens are being dealt with for their criminal activities, we’ve also ensured that their families are connected with the full range of available supports to move forward and make positive choices in the future,” says CPS Insp. Jason Bobrowich in a statement.
The suspects cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.