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Two men from Edmonton are facing robbery and weapons charges after a holdup at a Wetaskiwin McDonald’s was foiled, in part, because the robbers lost the keys to their stolen getaway vehicle, Alberta RCMP say.

In a Tuesday news release, Alberta RCMP said officers were called to respond just before midnight on Dec. 9 to a call at the McDonald’s in Wetaskiwin was being robbed.

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Police said a customer at the drive-thru was alerted to the armed robbery by a staff member, who asked the customer to call 911.

“CCTV video shows the two suspects with knives in their hands while they demanded staff get on their hands and knees during the robbery,” police said in the news release.

The suspects fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money, police said. Investigators determined the suspects came to Wetaskiwin from Edmonton in a stolen car with the intent to rob a business.

Within 15 minutes of the robbery, Wetaskiwin RCMP officers, with the help of a police dog, were able to track down one suspect and arrest them. Thirty minutes later, police said they located the second suspect in a stolen vehicle less than a block away from the McDonald’s.

Police said the suspects were wearing the same clothes seen in the CCTV footage, and officers seized two similarly-coloured knives from the stolen car.

“We are thankful staff at the McDonald’s were not harmed, and the customer quickly called 911 to get help.” said Wetaskiwin RCMP Const. Cory Shultz. “However, we have to acknowledge we were further aided by the suspects’ bad luck – they lost the car’s key fob in the snow while running away from the scene and they could not start their stolen get-away car.”

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Edmonton residents Steven Prosser, 20, and Matteo Kulusic, 22, each face charges including robbery with an offensive weapon, possession of a dangerous weapon for a dangerous purpose, and disguise with intent.

Prosser is also facing an additional failure to comply with probation charge, while Kulusic is also charged with possession of stolen property.

Prosser is scheduled to attend Wetaskiwin court on Dec. 12, while Kulusic is due in Wetaskiwin court Jan. 11, 2024.

Wetaskiwin is approximately 70km south of Edmonton.

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