Thieves target customers during liquor mart robberies in Winnipeg
Teen allegedly threw bottles at security and customers, while woman bear-sprayed customers in other incidents
The liquor mart thefts continue in Winnipeg and now customers are getting caught in the middle.
A 16-year-old girl threw a bottle and hit a security guard and also threw one at a customer in one of many robberies she is alleged to have done in provincial liquor stores around the city between July 17 and Sept. 18.
Police say she stole more than $4,000 in alcohol over the course of nine incidents.
The bottle-throwing one happened Aug. 28, while during another incident on Sept. 18, the girl turned a bottle upside down and threatened to hit an employee as she left the store, police said.
She was arrested later that same day, around 10:30 p.m., on Garfield Street in the city's West End. She has been charged with numerous theft and robbery-related offences.
A 28-year-old woman has also been charged for several liquor store thefts unrelated to those of the teenaged girl, but was arrested the same day.
Police say she stole more than $5,100 worth of alcohol from provincial liquor marts in Winnipeg between April 18 and July 1.
In all, there were 18 incidents.
During six of those, she sprayed employees and sometimes customers with bear spray, police said. Threats were made to spray people in two other incidents.
She was arrested Tuesday at a home in West St. Paul.