Cell phone stores in High River and Okotoks continue exercise caution after a couple of thefts, including an armed robbery in Okotoks last month, and an suspicious act on Monday, February 5th that could have become a bad situation.

Staff Sergeant Robin Alexander says the Bell Store in High River was approached by six individuals wearing dark hoodies, but they were unable to get inside.

Since the store was robbed late last year they have been locking their door during business hours, only unlocking them for people who are identified to be customers.

"As a result of the initial robbery before Christmas they have adopted the practice of locking their door until a customer approaches and they can identify them as a customer," said Alexander.

Earlier Monday afternoon on February 5th a group of six individuals approached the store.

"They had their hoods up so they obviously didn't let them in and they alerted us. We immediately deployed but we didn't find them."

Police contacted all the other stores in the area selling cell phones and Marks because they have been robbed as well.

"From a group that we believe are the same people."

And it is possible that the people who showed firearms at the robbery of the Bell Cellnet store in Okotoks last month are also part of the same group.

"Certainly the method they used is very similar. We believe they are coming out of the city of Calgary."

"The incident in Okotoks firearms were displayed. That always raises our risk assessment of the situation. We certainly don't want anyone getting hurt. So we are treating it as a very high-end crime."

Alexander is happy the stores in High River are good about sharing information so others are aware of the risk.

"They essentiality go into a bit of a lock down because the fear is if they go to one place and they can't get in they will immediately go to another place but in this particular instance they immediately left town."