On Sunday September 6, 2015 at 8:17 p.m. the Boundary RCMP (Grand Forks) received a call that a pizza delivery person was approached by two males with a gun and robbed of his vehicle and cash. The victim of the robbery was not injured.
At 8:45 p.m. a member of the Trail and Greater District RCMP encountered the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire on Highway 3B heading toward Rossland, reported Sgt. Darren Oelke of the Trail and Greater District detachment.
When the police attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled at a high rate of speed, lost control on a corner and struck a rock wall. The stolen vehicle was demolished in the accident.
One male was arrested at the scene of the accident and the second male was arrested after a brief track by a police dog. Neither suspect were severely injured. A loaded firearm was recovered from the vehicle.
Rylee Andrew Shipley, 18, of Nova Scotia and Collton Emery Knowles, 19, of Alberta have been charged with robbery with a firearm, possession of stolen property, possession of a prohibited firearm, flight from police and other firearms related charges. Both appeared in Rossland Provincial Court today (Tuesday).
Connection to a similar robbery in the B.C. interior is also being investigated.