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Armed Port Coquitlam dealership robbers charged: RCMP

Two men, both known to police, are still in custody, but the search is still ongoing for the two other suspects involved in the Nov. 22 crime spree.

Two men involved in the Nov. 22 crime spree that began with an armed robbery at a Port Coquitlam dealership have been charged.

However, the other two suspects remain at large, and police continue to plead to the public for information.

Today (Dec. 13), three weeks to the date of the incident, Kwabena Bosiako and Omar Demetris were each charged with one count of robbery.

The 22-year-old Port Coquitlam and New Westminster residents are still in custody, said Coquitlam RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Alexa Hodgins, as the investigation continues.

Both Bosiako and Demetris are known to Mounties, Insp. Darren Carr confirmed at an earlier news conference.

What we know

The string of crimes, which included an exchange of gunfire with Mounties, began at the Journey Approved dealership (1881 Lougheed Hwy.) around 3:45 p.m.

Four armed assailants demanded money, jewellery and phones and even subjected staff to violence during the incident.

One employee was sent to hospital with minor non life-threatening injuries.

This kickstarted what ended up being an "extremely chaotic, fast-moving and dynamic response" from police across multiple jurisdictions to apprehend the suspects, Carr added.

They fled in a stolen vehicle and fired shots at armed officers, who were actively searching vehicles at the intersection of Lougheed Highway (7) and Shaughnessy Street before eventually chasing the suspects through Coquitlam.

Witness video provided to the Tri-City News showed a black sedan fleeing from at least 10 police cruisers near Pitt River Road before ultimately crashing the vehicle on Highway 1 near the King Edward Street overpass.

One of the suspects tried to flee on foot, but was found and arrested by officers in pursuit.

A separate victim suffered minor injuries after their vehicle was carjacked by a second suspect, who then fled to Surrey, but was subsequently found and arrested by officers in that city.

Descriptions of the outstanding suspects are not known as police said, at the time, they were all wearing masks and specifics were too vague to be released publicly.

"Our Coquitlam Major Crime Unit continues to search for additional evidence to determine the complete circumstances of the robbery and shots fired on November 22, 2022," added Hodgins.

"We are asking the individuals involved in this incident to turn themselves in immediately, as our officers continue to follow up on all investigational avenues."

Anyone with more information on the incident or the whereabouts of the other two suspects, as well as dash cam, surveillance or video footage, is encouraged to call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file-number 2022-30931.