Possession of imitation firearm charges laid in the North Peace

An imitation firearm was discovered on a suspect whom RCMP had arrested following reports of shoplifting.

Photo from media release.

Local RCMP received a report of a shoplifter who had stolen merchandise from a grocery store located at 9123 100th Street, Fort St. John, BC, around 4:00PM on May 26.

The Loss Prevention officer held the suspect at the scene until the local RCMP arrived and took the suspect into police custody.

The suspect Dylan Skerik was found to be concealing an imitation firearm, which was located during a search incidental to arrest according to the media release.

“This is one of the big reasons the police prefer to have the public call police to deal with suspects, no one ever knows what you are going to run into during a file,” said Constable Chad Neustaeter, Media Relations Officer for the Fort St John RCMP. “Imitation firearms look just like the real thing and if it had been used, that would have quickly changed the dynamics of the situation.”

Skerik is being held for court at the time of writing, and is facing approved charges of Theft Under $5000, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, Carrying a Concealed weapon as well as two counts of Failure to Comply with Probation Order.