Just before 5:10 p.m. on February 4, 2026, officers were dispatched to a store on Lasalle Boulevard in relation to a robbery. Information provided was that an unknown individual was caught stealing clothing from the store. When staff approached the individual, the individual displayed what was believed to be a grenade and threatened to detonate it prior to leaving. The unknown individual left the area on foot prior to police arrival.

Shortly before 8:45 p.m., officers were dispatched to an unknown trouble at an establishment in the downtown core. Information provided was that an individual had attended the establishment, displayed what was believed to be a grenade and placed the grenade on a table. The individual then stole a bottle of alcohol before leaving the scene on foot.

Witnesses inside the establishment were able to provide a description of the individual that matched the description of the individual involved in the robbery earlier.

Based on the description, officers located and arrested the individual without incident around 9:00 p.m.

Upon searching the individual incident to arrest, officers located what was believed to be a grenade, the bottle of alcohol and the clothing that was taken from the store.

As a result of the investigation, 48-year-old, Joseph Size had been charged with the following offences under the Criminal Code of Canada;

  • Robbery x2,
  • Weapons dangerous x2,
  • Fail to comply with release orders x3
  • Possession of a weapon contrary to prohibition order x2 and
  • Fail to comply with probation order

Joseph Size was held in custody overnight and will attend Bail Court today, February 5, 2026, to answer to the charges.

Members of the Explosive Disposal Unit with the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) attended and confirmed that although the grenade looked real, it was an imitation.

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