Liquor clerk 'didn't want to die' during armed robbery: UPDATED

The victim of a liquor store robbery that occurred in Cochrane last night says she was afraid for her life when an armed man demanded money and threatened to kill her.

“I don’t even know how to explain it - I remember thinking, ‘I don’t want to die,’ ” said the clerk, who works at Fourth Avenue Liquor and asked not to be identified due to safety concerns.

Working Wednesday night as the only staff member, the clerk said she was in the back of the store when she heard someone yelling.

“He was yelling at me to ‘come over here’ then he grabbed me and pushed me down and stole the tray, ” the clerk recalled.
“Afterwards, he was yelling at me not to move or call the RCMP or he’d come back and kill me. ”

The suspect was described as Caucasian male, over 6 ft. tall with a slim build and was wearing a black hoody with the hood up and black pants.

"We do believe the robberies are linked with the same suspect," said Cpl. Troy Savinkoff with the Cochrane RCMP.
"We are suspicious the incidents are linked to other robberies."

The robbery occurred at approximately 11:20 p.m., half an hour before a similar attempted robbery took place at Happy’s Liquor Store, located on Fifth Avenue.

RCMP reported a Causcaisn male perpetrated a second attempted robbery later that evening. He is described as approximately 6’5 ” wearing a dark hoody and dark pants.

The man entered the store and showed the clerk a small knife. The clerk did not comply with the robbers demands and there was a brief altercation between them that resulted in the clerk receiving some scratches.

The clerk at Happy’s Liquor Store said nothing was stolen.

The liquor clerk from the first robbery said she was “stiff and sore ” from being “thrown around. ” She was also making plans to attend therapy and said she is taking stress leave.

Both incidents happened on May 10 between 11:20 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.

Both incidents happened on May 10 between 11:20 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.

RCMP officers are asking anyone with information about the robberies to contact the detachment at 403-851-8000 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 (TIPS).