A young man from Deer Lake who already has substantial involvement with the court system will have a bail hearing Friday for the latest charges against him.
Anthony Joseph Strickland (aka Gabbard) was arrested after he allegedly broke into the A&W restaurant in Deer Lake and stole a safe early last Friday morning.
In addition to the robbery, the 19-year-old was charged with wearing a disguise while committing an indictable offence, breaching conditions of a recognizance he was bound to and escaping from lawful custody.
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According to the information filed at provincial court in Corner Brook, Strickland escaped from custody at the Deer Lake RCMP detachment sometime after his arrest last Friday.
When asked for details of the escape, Cpl. Dave Cooper of the Deer Lake RCMP declined to elaborate on that particular charge because he said it may be dropped or amended by the Crown. As of press time Tuesday, the escape from lawful custody offence was still on the provincial court docket in Corner Brook for Friday, when Strickland’s bail hearing is set.
A video purportedly showing the break and entry circulated on social media prior to Strickland’s arrest. It shows a masked person freeing a small safe from under a counter before lifting it up and making away with it.
Cooper confirmed the safe was recovered. He said all indications are it was never opened, but he could not confirm if anything was stolen from the restaurant.
In early January, Strickland was given a suspended sentence and two years of probation for two counts of assaulting his girlfriend at the time.
He already has more charges scheduled to be called at provincial court March 6. Those charges include two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, two counts of uttering threats to damage or destroy property, causing a disturbance, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and three counts of failure to comply with a court order.
