Calgary police have charged two teenagers following a random robbery outside a senior’s residence in the city’s southeast earlier this summer.
The incident occurred on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at approximately 6:45 p.m. A 75-year-old woman was walking from her vehicle to her apartment in the 6200 block of 17 Avenue S.E. when two unknown males approached her and attempted to steal her purse. The victim fought back and screamed for help, prompting a nearby neighbor to intervene. The suspects fled the scene before police arrived. The victim was subsequently treated in hospital for minor injuries.
Investigators gathered security camera footage from the surrounding area. Through a review of the video evidence, witness interviews, and comparisons with evidence from a previous robbery, detectives successfully identified two young suspects.
A 14-year-old male and a 16-year-old male have each been charged with one count of robbery. Their identities are protected and cannot be released under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police emphasized the troubling nature of the crime, noting the age of the accused and the unprovoked attack on a vulnerable resident. Staff Sgt. Keith Shufelt of the Calgary Police Service District 4 General Investigations Unit stated that the opportunistic robbery targeted a community member simply going about her day, adding that the traumatic event will leave a lasting impact on the victim that extends far beyond her physical injuries.