Police seek suspect after attempted robbery in St. Catharines

Niagara Regional Police responded just after 8:30 Monday morning to an armed robbery attempt at Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Lake Street north of Scott Street in St. Catharines. Officers learned that the suspect had entered the premise armed with a black handgun.  He made a demand to the store employee for the keys to a rental vehicle.  When the keys were not provided the suspect fled the store on foot.  The store employee was not injured as a result of the confrontation. Given the involvement of a firearm and the immediate concern for public safety, a shelter-in-place was issued for the Lake Street / Scott Street area.  That included two schools, William Hamilton Merritt and Eden High School, along with A Child’s World daycare on Scott Street. Numerous NRPS resources were deployed to the area. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 6’0” tall with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a black hoody, black pants, a red bandana with a white pattern, sunglasses and black leather shoes.  After an extensive search of the area the shelter-in-place was lifted at 9:22am.  Area residents and employees at local businesses are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious persons who match the suspect description.