A Creston-area man has been arrested and charged in the recent Grand Forks bank robbery.
Briaden Rosch, 35, remains in custody and was due in Kelowna court today on 10 charges. He was taken into custody Saturday morning in Creston following a stolen vehicle investigation.
“It is a great relief to have this person in custody and off the streets,” Grand Forks RCMP Detachment Sgt. Darryl Peppler. “My officers and the Creston officers worked extremely hard on this investigation and it’s great to get the results we did.”
Rosch is accused of being the man who entered the Grand Forks CIBC on April 21 wearing a hoodie with his face covered. The suspect told a teller that he had a gun and demanded money. He made off with a large sum of cash, heading south on 2nd Street.
“In the days following, investigators from the Grand Forks RCMP worked tirelessly on this crime gathering evidence and speaking with witnesses,” Peppler says.
Grand Forks Mounties worked with officers from the Creston RCMP Detachment to identify a suspect.
On Saturday, Creston officers located Rosch and took him into custody without incident. In the Grand Forks robbery, he has been charged with one count of robbery and one count of vehicle theft.
In the Creston case, he is charged with eight counts including possession a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, and five counts of various firearm offences including carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a non-restricted firearm, and possession of a non restricted firearm while occupying a vehicle.
He has not been charged with two similar bank robberies at the CIBC in Creston and another robbery at the CIBC in Castlegar.
Creston Cpl. Evan Diachok says they continue investigate the bank robberies and are still looking for any witnesses to come forward. He says they do have a suspect in mind, but because no charges have been laid, he can’t release a name.
Castlegar Sgt. Monty Taylor says their lead investigator is following up with counterparts in Grand Forks and Creston to advance their investigation, and “that includes if the same person was responsible.”
