Winnipeg police make arrest after masked man robs hotel lounge, cannabis dispensaries
Posted December 4, 2025 1:45 pm.
Last Updated December 4, 2025 1:49 pm.
Winnipeg police say a 38-year-old man has been charged after a south end hotel and two cannabis dispensaries were robbed at gunpoint earlier this year.
The Winnipeg Police Service says in all three robberies, the suspect had his face covered or was wearing a disguise, and he was armed with an air-powered rifle.
On June 11, police say a suspect entered a hotel lounge on Alpine Avenue, went behind the bar, pried open a till, and fled on foot with money.
Authorities say the same suspect entered a cannabis dispensary on St. Mary’s Road on Oct. 14. He allegedly demanded money from the employee and fled on foot with marijuana and vape products valued at about $5,000.
The following month, on Nov. 7, Winnipeg police say the suspect demanded money from employees at a cannabis dispensary on Archibald Street. He allegedly fled on a motorized bicycle with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Police say all incidents were captured on video surveillance and no injuries were reported.
The WPS says it arrested Yosef Negasi Michell from the Milner Ridge Correctional Centre, where he was in custody for an unrelated matter.
Police say officers seized a clown mask and an imitation air-powered rifle during a search of his home.
Michell is being charged with three counts each of robbery, wearing a disguise with intent, possession of a weapon, and two breaches of a release order. He remains in custody.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
