Halifax man is robbery kingpin, police allege

A Halifax man facing dozens of charges is accused of being the mastermind behind a series of audacious robberies, including one that saw 42 workers bound and gagged at a Costco store.

Jermaine Carvery, 29, appeared in court Monday on 43 charges, including attempted murder, hostage-taking, theft and possession of a weapon.

Police allege Carvery leda number of high-profile thefts in the province between 2004 and 2006, including the one at the Costco in Halifax.

In July 2004, four orfive armed bandits in masksentered the store, tied up the employees and escaped with about $250,000-worth ofcigarettes in aU-Haul truck.

Three months earlier in Truro, three armed men walked into the TRA Cash and Carry, tied up three workers and made off with $77,000 in cigarettes.

Const. Jeff Carr said policecontinue to investigate other robberies with similar circumstances.

"We have been, for some time, investigating those robberies as possibly linked or the same group of people potentially involved," said Carr.

"I don't see it coming to a conclusion in the near future," he added. "It's going to go on for some time yet."

Carvery will remainin custodyuntil his next court appearance in the new year.