Richmond police are asking for information about an alleged robbery at a Bitcoin shop earlier this week.
The RCMP told the Richmond News an officer from Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CFSEU-BC) helped arrest a man on Tuesday just after 3 p.m., following an alleged robbery at a business near the corner of No. 3 Road and Westminster Highway.
“The officer from CFSEU-BC had stopped as he witnessed an altercation involving multiple people on the street. It was later discovered that a store employee, with the assistance of public bystanders, were attempting to apprehend the suspect following the alleged robbery,” said RCMP spokesperson Adriana O’Malley in a statement.
“Richmond RCMP frontline officers attended and took custody of the man.”
A video of the takedown was circulating online on the Chinese social app Little Red Book.
The person who posted the video alleges he saw a man robbing a Bitcoin shop on Tuesday, before trying to run away. However, the shop owner and some passersby stopped him and called the police.
“The police came within three minutes and Tasered him. I want to praise the...police who were really efficient and brave,” said the witness in the post.
In the video posted to social media, two police officers can be seen holding the shirtless suspect on the ground while making the arrest, as a crowd looks on.
O’Malley added the suspect was released on a police undertaking. Charges are pending and the investigation remains active and on-going.
Richmond RCMP is asking anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact them quoting file number 2023-13362.
