A masked man was unable to steal money from a store because of their transaction system.
Campbell River RCMP says a masked man was browsing a store in the 600 block of 11th Avenue on Jan. 15 around 5:40 p.m. They say he grabbed a knife from a display case and held a staff member at knifepoint, demanding cash.
However, the business did not do cash sales and the man left without anything worth much.
Police say they arrived at the scene quickly, but the suspect had already run off into the night. Police are continuing their investigation with the forensic unit.
It is one of two robberies since the start of the new year, including a bank robbery where a suspect demanded money or would start shooting, according to RCMP. The suspect also ran off without much gain.
Cst. Maury Tyre with Campbell River RCMP says the two robberies show an increase in violence and desperation. He asks for the public’s patience as they continue their search.
“It’s very important for the public to understand that these crimes typically cannot be solved in an hour like on TV. There is no magic CSI group with a cool soundtrack that can return DNA analysis in a minute,” said Tyre.
“However, with the evidence available to us, a significant amount of public canvassing, and time we believe we should be able to identify and hold both suspects accountable.”
Anyone with information is asked to call RCMP at 250-286-6221.
Police are also warning about an increase in counterfeit bills in the area.
