74-year-old man robbed in Vancouver library bathroom

A man has been charged with assault with a weapon after a brazen bathroom robbery at the downtown Vancouver Public Library last week.

According to Vancouver police, the suspect allegedly kicked open a stall door in the lower-level washroom last Friday, and stole a laptop from the 74-year-old patron inside.

When two security guards tried to stop the suspect from leaving, he allegedly drew a weapon and fled. Nobody was injured, police said in a Tuesday news release.

“This is quite concerning, not only because the victim was elderly, but also because it happened in a place where people should feel safe and have total privacy,” Sgt. Steve Addison told Global News.

“We’re happy nobody was hurt, and thankful that witnesses called police right away. That allowed our officers to respond immediately and arrest the suspect.”

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The 29-year-old suspect was tracked down and arrested near the library after a foot chase.

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