Man arrested after 6 robberies in 3 days in Maple Ridge and Langley, RCMP say

A 24-year-old man is in custody after allegedly engaging in a three-day crime spree across Maple Ridge and Langley.

Officers from both the Ridge Meadows and Langley RCMP detachments responded to six separate reports of robbery between Dec. 5 and 7, all believed to have been committed by the same suspect.

Four of the incidents occurred in Maple Ridge and the other two occurred in Langley, Ridge Meadows RCMP said in a news release Thursday.

“In each instance, the suspect’s description and methods were very similar,” the release reads. “This included multiple businesses and their staff and customers being targeted and a firearm being present. None of the victims involved sustained any physical injuries.”

The Ridge Meadows detachment’s Street Enforcement Unit led the investigation and arrested the suspect in Langley on Tuesday morning, police said.

Langley RCMP, B.C. RCMP Air Services and the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team assisted with the arrest and the execution of a search warrant at the suspect’s residence, according to Mounties.

Ridge Meadows RCMP provided four file numbers with their news release. Online court records show charges have so far been laid in only one of the four cases.

Cole Houston Charles Mercer has been charged with one count of robbery and one count of using an imitation firearm to commit an indictable offence. The alleged offences occurred on Dec. 6, and the charges were laid Thursday.

Mercer remains in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday in Port Coquitlam.

“Officers are currently completing numerous investigative steps including processing exhibits and writing a detailed report to Crown counsel,” police said, suggesting they expect further charges to be laid in the coming days.

They did not name Mercer in their release.

“The quick actions of our officers, in co-ordination with Langley RCMP and our integrated policing partners, resulted in a swift and successful arrest of this suspect,” said Sgt. Trevor Hanson, of the Ridge Meadows RCMP SEU, in the release.

“While we’re thankful no one was injured, these types of incidents can often be unsettling for victims and witnesses. We appreciate the public’s assistance in reporting these crimes and being our partners in community safety.”