Four arrested in Calgary pub armed robbery linked to vehicle theft spree
Multi-jurisdictional investigation leads to charges after May 11 incident left patron seriously injured.
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Four men are facing charges after a violent armed robbery at Chicago's Pub in Forest Lawn and a connected crime spree involving stolen vehicles spanning from Calgary to Edmonton.
The incident began on May 11 around 6:30 p.m. when two suspects smashed the window of a Toyota Tacoma parked at Nose Hill Park in the 6400 block of 14th Street N.W. They stole a purse containing identification, credit cards, and a key for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, then fled in a stolen red Ford F-150.
About five hours later, around 11:30 p.m., the Jeep was stolen from outside the victim's home in Mayland Heights. Security footage showed the stolen Ford F-150 leaving the area alongside the Jeep. At 12:30 a.m. on May 12, three suspects drove the stolen Jeep to Chicago's Pub on 17 Avenue S.E. Two men entered with a shotgun and demanded cash. During the robbery, a patron was struck in the face with the shotgun, causing serious injuries. The suspects fled in the Jeep, which was later found burned in an alley behind 1336 40 Street S.E. in Forest Heights.
On May 14, the stolen F-150 was involved in a single-vehicle collision in Edmonton and abandoned. Investigators linked the truck to a second car prowling on May 11. Through CCTV analysis and investigative work, officers identified three suspects and executed three search warrants on June 11 — one on a residence in Calgary's Penbrooke Meadows neighbourhood and two in Drayton Valley. A fourth suspect was identified during the searches.
Bradley Michal Almas, 27, from Edmonton, and Sean Porter, 44, from Drayton Valley, are each charged with disguise with intent, robbery with a firearm, and arson. Aaron Michael Stelcer, 46, of Calgary, faces charges of robbery with a firearm and arson. Ethan Kyle Lance Byron, 20, of Calgary, is charged with robbery with a firearm. Additional charges are pending. Almas and Porter's next court appearance is set for Wednesday, July 22; Stelcer appears the same day; Byron appears Monday, July 13.
