Vernon Law Courts

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

VERNON - A Lumby man who helped rob a convenience store in the North Okanagan caught a break today in court.

Provincial Court Judge Mayland McKimm sentenced Keegan Reed, 22, to an 18-month conditional sentence order, which will be served in the community in the form of house arrest. Reed, who pleaded guilty to theft under $5,000 and accessory after the fact, will also be on probation for another 24 months and has to perform 30 hours of community service.

Reed was involved in a robbery at Mac’s Convenience Store in Lumby in April 2016. His accomplice, Thomas Antoine August Belanger, was sentenced to 23 months in jail for his part in the violent robbery, during which he held the lone female employee at knifepoint.

Crown counsel Jeremy Guild said Reed’s role was limited to driving the getaway car and suggested he didn’t know the full extent of Belanger’s plans.

“As I understand it, in his (Reed’s) mind it was more a shoplifting act,” Guild said.

Outside of court, Reed told reporters he was employed by the Mac’s in Lumby at the time. 

After the robbery, Reed and Belanger split the money, with Reed ending up with just over $400, Guild said. Reed was ordered to pay that money back by way of a restitution order. His last paycheck from Mac's was also withheld, Reed explained outside of court. 

The female employee, who according to a WorkSafe B.C. investigation was a teenager on her first night shift, has also asked for restitution of roughly $3,000 for lost wages after the violent incident, but Guild said those damages would have to be pursued in civil court.

Defence lawyer Brian Loewen said Reed has been working hard to get his life back on track, including gaining steady employment.

Judge McKimm warned Reed that if he breaches the conditions of his sentence order he will have to serve the remainder of his time in jail.

Two charges including unlawful confinement and uttering threats were stayed by the Crown.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2017