Coe Hill man charged after 3 reported convenience store robberies, police pursuit in Peterborough

A Coe Hill, Ont., man is facing charges in connection with three reported convenience store robberies that took place within a 10-hour span and a police pursuit in Peterborough earlier this week.

The Peterborough Police Service says an unknown man entered a Clonsilla Avenue convenience store and gas station around 11:15 p.m. on Tuesday and allegedly demanded money from an employee at the front counter.

Police say the employee handed over an amount of cash and that the suspect allegedly grabbed additional cash from the till before fleeing the store on foot. Police were contacted but did not locate the suspect.

Then, around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to another reported convenience store robbery on Lansdowne Street East where, again, a suspect allegedly demanded money from an employee and then fled with an unknown amount of cash.

The third reported incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at a Chemong Road convenience store. Police say a suspect told an employee he had a weapon and allegedly demanded the employee open the cash register. Police say the employee complied and that the suspect reportedly took some cash from the till and fled the area in a vehicle.

Police say officers located the suspect vehicle in the area of Chemong and Towerhill roads in the city’s north end. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop but allege the suspect continued driving, and police began a pursuit.

According to police, the driver reached speeds upwards of 150 km/h in a posted 80-km/h zone, failed to stop at a stop sign and passed vehicles. The pursuit continued north into the village of Lakefield, where police allege the driver nearly struck several pedestrians at a protest.

Due to concern for public safety in the village, the pursuit was called off.

Police say officers located the suspect vehicle parked in the area of George and Simcoe streets in Peterborough just before 11 a.m. and arrested a man in the vehicle who they allege is connected to the three reported robberies.

Robert John Grahame, 35, of Highway 620 in Coe Hill, is charged with:

• Robbery with theft (two counts)
• Robbery with a weapon
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Flight from police
• Failure to comply with a release order (three counts)
• Disobeying a stop sign/failure to stop (three counts)
• Failure to stop when signalled or requested to do so by police
• Stunt driving

He was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Peterborough later on Thursday.

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