Lac La Biche RCMP say the trail went cold for a K-9 unit tracking a suspect in a Friday morning armed robbery at the Tarrabain Motors Shell service station. "The dog unit was called in, but the trail stopped in the nearby residential area," said Lac La Biche RCMP Const. Chris Clark. As police continue to investigate the crime, they are asking for the public's help in locating the suspect, who they say entered the store shortly after 6 a.m. and used a large kitchen knife to demand cash from the lone clerk. An undisclosed amount of money was taken and the suspect ran from the business across the Dr. Swift Middle School playing field. The clerk was not physically injured during the ordeal. "We have a description of the suspect, who is a Native male, between 5-foot-six and five-foot eight, with a slim build," said Clark. The description is somewhat generic since the suspect was careful to hide his appearance by wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie with the hood pulled up. His face was also covered by a red bandanna. Police are hoping the public can assist them with their investigation. Anyone with information about the crime or the suspect is encouraged to call the local RCMP detachment at 780-623-4380 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-22-TIPS. The Shell store was closed for part of the morning as police and members of the forensic identification team collected evidence. But was open for business later in the day..
