Three youths, including an 11-year-old boy, were taken into custody late Tuesday night following a robbery involving a Calgary Transit bus driver and a separate liquor store theft in the city’s downtown.Around 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, a bus parked at Erlton Station was approached by a youth who pulled a knife and demanded the driver’s phone. The driver de-escalated the situation, and the suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money before joining a group of teens outside the bus.Police were called and officers quickly located the group near 25 Ave. S.W. and Macleod Tr., where all were arrested without incident.Investigators believe the teens were involved in a liquor store theft that occurred shortly before 11 p.m. in the 500 block of 11 Ave. S.W., where multiple bottles of alcohol valued at more than $200 were stolen.An 11-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the robbery but was released to a parent. Under Canadian law, children under 12 cannot be charged with a criminal offense.A 14-year-old girl faces one count of shoplifting and three counts of failing to comply with a release order. Charges are also pending against a 16-year-old girl in connection with the liquor store theft.None of the youths can be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.“Our top priority in violent situations like this is always the safety and well-being of the victims,” said Insp. Jason Bobrowich of the Calgary Police Service. “Thanks to the swift response of our officers in the downtown area, the teen suspects were located and taken into custody, preventing further harm to the community.” He added that the families of the accused are being connected with support services to help them make better choices going forward.
