A 27-year-old man has been arrested in east Belfast this afternoon (Friday, April 26) by police investigating a number of recent armed robberies.
At around 1.25pm police received a report that a man, armed with a suspected firearm, had entered a pharmacy on Westminster Avenue North and threatened staff before making off with a sum of cash and prescription drugs.
A man was arrested a short time later on the Newtownards Road. He was searched and a sum of cash, prescription drugs and a BB gun were recovered. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery and possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances. He remains in police custody at this time.
The man is also being questioned in relation to an attempted armed robbery of a fast food outlet on the Albertbridge Road on Friday, April 19, the armed robbery of a shop on Orangefield Lane on Tuesday (April 23) and the attempted armed robbery of a filling station on Beersbridge Road early this morning (Friday).
Detective Inspector Kerry Brennan said thankfully the quick reactions of police, with vital information from eye witnesses, has resulted in this individual being arrested.
“These incidents were terrifying for the members of staff involved and I wish to reassure the local community that police are doing all they can to identify those responsible for these types of incidents and bring them before the courts,” added Detective Inspector Kerry Brennan.