Eastside Grocery in Oliver was robbed at gunpoint Thursday morning. Police are continuing to look for the suspect.
UPDATE:
A prolific offender on the run from police could be linked to a daring daylight robbery in Oliver Thursday.
Ronald Arthur Teneycke from Okanagan Falls is still on the lam after failing to serve weekend jail time for making or possessing explosives.
Meanwhile, police are on the lookout for a Caucasian man in his 50s who robbed Eastside Grocery Thursday morning at 10 a.m.
The co-owner of the store told the Chronicle that a man entered the store and asked if the store sold cigarettes. When she said no, he shopped around for a few minutes before coming back to the front counter.
At this point he pulled out a handgun that looked real, she said.
The suspect asked the woman to open the cash register and hand over some money, which she did.
The proprietor remained calm and did everything the man said. He asked if she had anything else of value, and asked about cigarettes again.
The suspect acknowledged that the store owner would likely call the police, and asked her to give him some time to leave the area. He asked her to stand near the back cooler while he left with the cash and a bag full of candy and other treats.
The woman said she did not feel threatened by the man, noting the robbery went as smoothly as could be expected under the circumstances.
“I did not feel like he was there to hurt me,” she stated.
He even made a couple of jokes while he shopped. For example, he picked up a handful of gummy worms, saying they were great for fishing but were only good for one-time use.
When the suspect left, the store owner looked out the window to see him drive off in a small, red and grey GMC pickup truck, similar to what police described Teneycke could be driving.
The Chronicle showed the proprietor a photo of Teneycke, but she would not confirm or deny that the robber was him.
The woman said she is doing okay, other than feeling some anxiety.
“It was definitely scary,” she admitted.
When she called 9-1-1, police arrived quickly, and she was told there were a dozen police vehicles and a helicopter looking for the suspect.
The RCMP has yet to release details on the suspect’s description.
