Red Deer RCMP have two men in custody after a failed armed robbery attempt at one gas station early this morning was followed minutes later by an armed robbery at gunpoint at a second gas station.

At 2:15 a.m. on June 14th, RCMP responded to a report of an attempted armed robbery at the Fas Gas located at 5101 76th St. Two men with a firearm approached the locked door and attempted unsuccessfully to smash it to gain entry before fleeing in a Ford Contour. Red Deer RCMP responded and obtained descriptions and surveillance images of the suspects and the suspect car and began an immediate city-wide search for the suspects.

At 2:36 p.m. Red Deer RCMP responded to an armed robbery at the Fas Gas located at 4023 50th St., after two men entered the building with a firearm and demanded cash and lottery tickets. RCMP located the suspect car nearby and took the driver into custody without incident, seizing a firearm from the vehicle. Police officers arrested the second male suspect at a residence a short time later.

The suspects’ names and the charges they face will be released once those charges have been sworn before the courts.

At this time, RCMP cannot confirm whether these incidents are linked to recent armed robberies, but police continue to pursue all investigational avenues.

Anyone with information about these robberies is asked to contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-343-5575. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or report it online at www.tipsubmit.com.

– Fawcett