The three suspects used this imitation gun in their armed robbery of the gas station (RCMP photo)
Three men have been arrested following an armed robbery at the Petro Canada gas station in Vegreville on March 23.
Robert Cardinal, 29, and Adam Coates, 29, both of Edmonton, as well as Dakota Masson, 38, of Cold Lake, have been charged with robbery, intimidation, theft of a vehicle, obstruction and flight from police. They were taken before a Justice of the Peace and remanded into custody for future court dates at the Alberta Court of Justice in Vegreville.
On March 23, 2025, at approximately 5 a.m. Vegreville RCMP received a report of a robbery at the Vegreville Petro Canada. A suspect entered the store and pointed a firearm at the employee demanding money. The suspects stole the employees purse and vehicle keys. The suspects then stole the victim’s vehicle and fled.
Fort Saskatchewan RCMP then tracked what they described as potentially armed suspects who were on foot at the entrance of Elk Island National Park on Range Road 201A and Highway 16. Since it was a remote location with no residents, RCMP asked motorists in the area to refrain from picking up any hitch hikers and report suspicious activity in the area by calling 911.
Vegreville RCMP located the stolen vehicle travelling west on Hwy 16 towards Edmonton. When RCMP attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled. There was a short pursuit when the vehicle lost control and struck a fence at Elk Island Park. One suspect was quickly arrested with the vehicle. Two additional suspects fled on foot.
This call for service is an example of the severity of calls that the Alberta RCMP deal with daily – Staff Sgt. Colin Folk
RCMP deployed multiple resources including members from the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team, RCMP Police Dog Services, RCMP Air Services, Fort Saskatchewan RCMP, and Sherwood Park RCMP. After a lengthy search, police were able to locate and arrest both additional suspects.
“This call for service is an example of the severity of calls that the Alberta RCMP deal with daily. I am extremely proud of my members in Vegreville,” said Staff Sgt. Colin Folk. “Their quick response and composure resulted in three individuals being arrested without injury to my members, the general public and the suspects. This response also showcases the benefit of having the RCMP as the Provinces contract policing provider. The RCMP has access to many different sections that can deploy very quickly to calls for service like this to assist front line members in small communities. In this particular incident the Vegreville RCMP had assistance from the RCMP Air Services Helicopter, multiple Police Dog Services members, a drone, and front-line members from three different detachment areas. Having access to all these specific units greatly increases the ability for these situations to end with a positive outcome.”
