For the third time in a month, grocery store employees were found tied up in their workplace early Thursday morning.
Investigators are exploring the possibility that the latest incident in Orleans is associated to similar incidents where store employees were bound in early morning grocery store robberies on Dec. 8 and 22 on Merivale Road.
“We’re mindful that it appears to be the same people,” said Ottawa Police Const. Al Boucher.
At approximately 5:40 a.m., Ottawa police responded to a robbery at The Independent grocery store at 1619 Orleans Blvd., where they found six store employees bound and confined in a closed area of the store.
Although some items were stolen in the incident, police did not say what they were.
There were no injuries to any of the employees.
The suspects fled the scene prior to police arrival. Police are now looking for three firearms-toting suspects.
The first suspect is an English-speaking male, between 20 and 22 years old, 5-foot-6, 125 pounds with blue eyes. He was wearing a beige vest, black balaclava and black gloves.
The second suspect is an English-speaking male, between 20-22 years old, 6-foot and between 180a nd 190 pounds. He was wearing a green shirt, beige pants, black balaclava and black gloves.
Police don’t have a description of the third suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Robbery Section at 613-236-1222 ext. 5116, or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS).
