Bear spray robbery on video

UPDATE: 4 p.m.

Two masked thieves who robbed Valley Hemp in Penticton Thursday night were caught on surveillance video. 

Owner Amanda Stewart found out about the robbery around 8 p.m. when she went to check in on the store, and discovered one of her employees had been sprayed with bear spray. 

"When you see the video, you'll see, they are holding the bear spray like a gangster would hold a gun, sideways, like 'Get down on the ground, open the till,'" Stewart said, adding that her employee was asked to hand over their phone.

Her employee opened the till and while one robber was taking the money, about $100, the other was looting the store's shelves for expensive glassware pieces. 

"And then they sprayed [my employee] right at the very end, and that's when [my employee] ran outside," Steward said, explaining police were called as soon as the employee was safely next door at Cue's.

Stewart believes the pair had cased the store earlier. She recalls a man and woman acting suspiciously in the store earlier that day, asking pointed, strange questions about how expensive each piece was and what time the store closed at night. 

She says several high-end glassware pieces were taken. 

"Nothing under $100. They knew what they were looking for," Stewart said. 

RCMP are involved and believe the crime was perpetrated by a man and a woman. Anyone with information is asked to contact them at 250-492-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

ORIGINAL: 10:05 a.m.

Employees of a Main Street business in Penticton were hit with bear spray during a robbery Thursday night. 

At 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 30, RCMP responded to reports of a robbery at Valley Hemp in the 300 block of Main Street.

Officers found an employee who had been sprayed with bear spray after two masked suspects entered the store. 

The thieves stole money from the register and other property before fleeing on foot. 

Suspects are described as a male in a green hooded jacket with fur around the hood, and a possible female wearing all black. 

Anyone who has information about the robbery is asked to call the Penticton RCMP, 250-492-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.