News release

Yellowknife RCMP arrest armed robbery suspect

February 17, 2026 - Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
From: Northwest Territories RCMP

Content

One person is in custody after Yellowknife RCMP received a report of an armed robbery.
On February 16th at approximately 9:27 a.m. Yellowknife RCMP received a report that an intoxicated suspect had pulled a knife on staff at the Dollarama before fleeing on foot with a quantity of merchandise.

Officers, including a Police Dog Handler, responded and located the suspect in front of the Stanton Territorial Hospital.
Upon being confronted by police, the suspect produced the knife again and brandished it at officers. A Conducted Energy Weapon was deployed successfully, and the suspect was taken into custody.

65-year-old Joseph Dietrich of Yellowknife has been charged with:

• Robbery with a weapon, contrary to section 344 of the Criminal Code

He was held for a bail hearing and subsequently remanded into custody.
No injuries were reported as a result of this occurrence.

Contacts