Jewelry For Bridesmaids

North Vancouver RCMP are praising the quick actions of a man who helped them catch a suspected jewelry store robber.

Ashley Russell-Taylor, is being hailed after he brought down one of four men investigators say held up Peoples Jewellers at Capilano Mall Thursday.

Russell-Taylor, 29, was walking through the mall with his young daughter at about 10:30 a.m. when he heard shouting from down the hall. A moment later, he saw a man sprinting toward him, chased by a security guard and two or three other people.

The medical supplies salesman, six foot four and 225 pounds, felt he might be able to help. Handing his daughter to a friend, he prepared to intercept the fleeing suspect.

"I noticed that were some people chasing (him). . . . By process of elimination I figured he's not the one in the right," said Russell-Taylor. "I grabbed him basically by the shirt and led him into a pillar that was there. As he hit (it), he took one step back and then I took him down to the ground and just wrapped his arm up."

The security guard and the others who had been chasing him soon caught up and helped pin the man down.

The father didn't wait around. Smelling mace in the air, allegedly used in the robbery, he grabbed his daughter and got out of the area. Russell-Taylor returned later to give a statement to police.

The North Vancouver RCMP lauded his actions and those of other passersby in a release to media Tuesday.

"Without the help of the public, this case would have been much more difficult to investigate," said Cpl. Peter DeVries, spokesman for the detachment. "The amount of assistance from civilians in the area was impressive."

The suspect was one of four men who reportedly rushed into the store Thursday morning, smashed a number of display cases and snatching some $200,000 worth of jewelry.

As the men prepared to leave the store, they were confronted by a group of bystanders, who attempted to block their exit. The cornered suspects allegedly discharged a can of bear spray, incapacitating the onlookers long enough to make a getaway. Three of the men escaped from the mall on foot. The fourth was brought down by Russell-Taylor.

Police investigated the incident over the weekend and interviewed some 20 witnesses, with whose help they ultimately tracked down and arrested the three missing suspects.

Investigators have recovered "a large portion" of the merchandise that was taken and are attempting to locate the rest, said DeVries.

Russell-Taylor was modest about his contribution.

"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time," he said.

"I was pretty excited that we caught the guy. . . . At the end of it all, I was happy I was able to do something."

Ahmad Ayoubi, 18, from Surrey, Jerry Bui, 18, from Burnaby and Mouhmmad Sakandari, 21, also from Burnaby, are due to appear in North Vancouver provincial court Thursday. The fourth suspect cannot be named because he's underage. All four have been charged with robbery.

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