It was just a matter of time before there was an armed robbery at Flynn's Store, says its owner about last Friday's hold-up, the first in the store's 130-year history of serving the community of Avondale.

A man walked into the store in the early evening of March 15, wearing a high-visibility orange jacket and a black toque, and headed straight to the liquor section, said owner Harold Flynn.

"He helped himself to a 40-ouncer of Iceberg Vodka and stuffed it into his clothing, and then he loitered around the liquor section until the customers had completely checked out," Flynn said.

"He walks up to the cashier and pulls a gun and tells her to give him what [she] got."

Flynn said the woman behind the cash was having none of it.

"Of course we had a super lady working on the cash there that night and she didn't take any guff and gave him a flat, 'no.'"

Watch Harold Flynn describe the first-ever robbery at his store:

Owner Harold Flynn says this is 1st armed robbery at the store in 130 years 0:30

It's not what police advise you to do in that situation, Flynn said, adding "she's a brave lady."

"We are gonna be addressing that in time, but these things happen and you give a knee-jerk reaction and that's how it went. But anyway nobody got hurt and that's the main thing."

The suspect left the store, got into the passenger side of a Ford F-150 pickup truck, and left, while the cashier pressed the hold-up button to alert police.

Man charged

Police say it was a tip about that getaway vehicle that led to them to a suspect.

A 38-year-old man was arrested at a home in Conception Bay South on Sunday evening — two days after the alleged crime, according to the RCMP.

Obviously this guy was not a local because if he was a local he would know we had this system here. - Harold Flynn

He has been charged with robbery with a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm and failure to comply with a condition of an undertaking.

The suspect is still in custody, police said.

The RCMP said it worked closely with the RNC to find and arrest the man and the investigation is ongoing.

Employees shaken up

Flynn said his employee is pretty rattled, post-robbery.

"She's dealing with it, but she's having problems with it. And of course all our staff and myself, we're all having problems with it," he told CBC's St. John's Morning Show.

"I don't know where our society is going today, but it seems like — I don't know what to call it, I don't know if it's a downturn in our economy or it's liquor and substance abuse, but it seems like it's turning a lot of our citizens into two-legged rats."

In the meantime, Flynn said he's hoping to consult with police about training on what staff should do in these situations, because he expects it will be a new norm for them.

Flynn said in recent years, he's installed $30,000 worth of security equipment at his shop, including 32 security cameras.

"Every inch of this place is covered," he said.

Flynn's Store has been serving the Avondale area for 130 years. (Google Maps)

"Obviously this guy was not a local because if he was a local he would know we had this system here."

As for the suspect, Flynn said he hopes that, assuming he's convicted of a crime, the man avails of programs inside jail to overcome whatever obstacles he's facing.

"Hopefully this will be the thing that will prompt him to go look for a little bit of help because everybody can be helped, if you want help and you're willing to accept it," Flynn said.

"But that's his prerogative. If he continues on the tangent he's on now, one of these days he's gonna have a few more serious charges of injury or even death, being involved in these types of incidents."

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