(Dreamstime)

By Sheldon Spackman

April 2024 Incident

Sentencing date set for man charged in alleged Red Deer armed robbery

Feb 11, 2025 | 11:47 AM

A sentencing date has been set for a man accused in an alleged armed robbery at Bower Place shopping centre last year.

Caleb Francis Costello, 37, is scheduled for sentencing in Red Deer Court of Justice on May 29, 2025. The date was set following his trial in Red Deer, Feb. 7.

It was just before 4 p.m. on April 25, 2024, when the incident occurred. Police said at the time that they received a report of a 65-year-old woman being approached and victimized by two people.

It was said the two people forced their way into the victim’s car, but RCMP have since clarified that the female suspect did not enter the car. The car is said to have been driven a short distance before it was stopped, and both the victim and suspects fled.

It was also alleged a gun was pulled on the victim, who thankfully was not harmed.

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Caleb Costello, was charged with:

• Robbery with a firearm
• Possession of stolen property
• Weapons offences x2
• Possession of ID documents
• Resist arrest/obstruct police officer x2
• Failing to abide by release conditions
• Failing to appear for fingerprints (from previous alleged incident)

Mounties said the female suspect who had not entered the vehicle was not being sought, RCMP clarified.

At the time of the incident, Costello had five other ongoing court dockets — including one out of Cochrane and four others in Red Deer.

On his Cochrane file, he was sentenced Aug. 9 to one day in jail, but had served 40 days, all for obstruction of a peace officer, possessing a controlled substance, and being at large.

For his four Red Deer files, which were heard July 31, 2024, Costello was sentenced to a total of 81 days in jail for possession of stolen property under $5,000, obstruction of a peace officer, and failure to attend court. Several other charges were withdrawn.

Related: Accused in Bower Place armed robbery to stand trial in February 2025