A lone male got away with over $50,000 in cash from an armed robbery Saturday at the New Western Athabasca Inn.
Around 2:20 a.m., a front desk employee of the hotel was counting and verifying cash in the office when a lone masked male entered the building.
Upon observing the suspect approach, the employee immediately tried to close and lock the office door, however, the suspect pushed his way in. Once inside the office, the suspect directed the employee to sit down and at times pointed what appeared to be bear spray at the employee.
The suspect began filling a camouflaged backpack with cash from two open safes, and also searched the front desk area before leaving.
It’s believed that a vehicle involved in the incident was a newer white or light-coloured Dodge dual extended cab, with overhead roof marker lights and lights on the driver’s side fender.
The suspect is described as a caucasian male, approximately five-foot-eight with a thin to medium build, a deep voice and no accent. He was wearing clean medium blue coveralls with a reflective "X" on the back and reflective stripes around the base of both legs. He was also wearing black shoes, a black balaclava and black gloves.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Athabasca RCMP at 780-675-4252 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-922-TIPS (8477).
