A robbery and an attempted robbery occurred within a recent 24-hour span on the same stretch of a Dartmouth road, police said, noting that they do not believe the two incidents are related.
Halifax Regional Police were called for a report of a robbery at 11:13 p.m. on Friday in the 100 block of Wyse Road.
They say a 23-year-old male suspect threatened another man with what policed called in a press release “a sensory irritant.”
READ MORE: Halifax police investigating pair of robberies in Dartmouth
The suspect allegedly demanded money and the victim, who did not suffer any injuries or have anything taken by the suspect, called 911. The suspect left the area prior to police getting to the scene.
Police said they identified the suspect, and they’re trying to find him to make an arrest.
On Saturday, police were called at 7:40 p.m. to the same block for a reported robbery.
Two men allegedly asked a 21-year-old man to cash a cheque at an ATM and after he withdrew the cash, he was assaulted before one of the suspects took more cash from the account.
The victim was punched but was not injured.
READ MORE: Halifax police release images of armed robbery suspect
The suspects in Saturday’s robbery are described as around 25-30 years in age with dark complexions. One suspect is heavy-set and about five-feet-nine-inches tall, and the other has a thin build and is around six-feet tall.
In the same block, a convenience store and a drug store were were robbed in September and in October, respectively.
Councillor’s perspective
“These are the type of things that, unfortunately, can happen on any street,” District 5 Councillor Sam Austin said on Sunday.
The area, which perpendicularly connects to the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, has a lot of traffic because of the Halifax Transit Bridge Terminal and a couple of grocery stores, he said.
READ MORE: Halifax police investigating pair of robberies in Dartmouth
Despite the recent incidents, Austin said he hasn’t heard any reasons why residents should be more cautious in the area, from the police department or the local neighbourhood watch group.
“We live in a society where we have pockets of extreme poverty, people who have educational problems, food insecurity, and as long as we’re allowing the root cause of crime to proliferate, we’re going to end up having effects at the downstream end,” he said.