Teamwork: it’s something usually mentioned when talking about a successful sports franchise, but two weeks ago it was a vital component to stopping a pair of robbery suspects.
The Nelson Police Department and Nelson RCMP deserve congratulations for the teamwork they showed in apprehending the pair on April 25. It was a shining example of two separate forces working together to create a cohesive team and hopefully end a string of potentially life-threatening incidents.
However, while the suspects’ names — Andrew Zacharias Stevenson and Krista Kalmikoff — are now known, numerous questions remain. And for now, the police are not talking.
Where are the two suspects from? What is their relationship?
While they have been charged in three incidents — all taking place on a Friday — are they also suspects in the Kootenay Savings Credit Union robbery in Castlegar on March 11? Or Johnny’s Groceries and Gas in Robson on March 7, or Kootenay Savings in Salmo on February 24? If not, are the police still looking for suspects in those cases? How much money has been recovered? How much is still missing? Was the recent bomb threat at the courthouse related to the suspects’ appearance?
Many of these are common questions that would normally be answered, even if there is a publication ban on court proceedings. Some of the answers are readily available on social media. So why are the police being tight-lipped?
Details have been lacking in this case due to an internal investigation into how Stevenson was injured during his capture — but why that should prevent us from knowing where he lived is puzzling. Hopefully, once the probe is completed, information will flow.
The Friday Robbers are big news in Nelson and the public wants to know more. So do we.