Two men were arrested in Ontario this week and charged in connection with a St. Albert home invasion last month.
Police arrested both suspects in Ontario during a routine traffic stop in York Region, which is just north of Toronto.
The York Region officer initially pulled the pair over, because vehicles in Ontario are required to have both a front and back licence plate. The pair was driving an Alberta licensed vehicle, which did not have both plates.
St. Albert RCMP had an Alberta-wide warrant out for the pair when the officer pulled them over. When he identified them, he took them into custody.
The York Region officer contacted the local RCMP, who quickly extended the warrant and brought the two back to Alberta.
Police receive a 911 call on April 15 at 37 Oakmont Drive about the home invasion. The RCMP said at the time three armed men forced their way into the home and kept two of the home’s residents confined while they ransacked the house. All three men had some type of weapon during the robbery and one of them was carrying a gun.
The men demanded drugs from the occupants, but when they could not locate any they fled the house with several electronic items.
Const. Janice Schoepp with the St. Albert RCMP said officers still believe there were three armed men in the house, but are still investigating the case.
She said officers have identified a person of interest.
“They have been unable to confirm the identity of the third person.”
The victims were confined in the home only for a short period of time and were not hurt in the incident.
The home was well known to police at the time of the home invasion and was also the scene of a stabbing on New Year’s Eve.
Robin Dwight Francis, 24 and Barry William Lloyd, 18 are charged with robbery with a weapon, forcible confinement and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
After being returned to the St. Albert detachment, both accused, who are not from the city, were released on bail with a series of restrictive conditions. Lloyd is on 24-hour house arrest and can only leave his home with a parent. Both are banned from entering St. Albert except for court.
They will make their first court appearance on May 25.
