A 40-year-old Victoria man charged in the robbery of an Oak Bay jewelry store in February has been committed to stand trial in B.C. Supreme Court.
Bryan Louis Kertesz has been charged with the robbery of Cambridge Antiques at 2207 Oak Bay Ave. on Feb. 12. He is also charged with wearing a mask during the commission of an offence, carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a knife for a dangerous purpose and using an imitation firearm while committing a robbery.
Kertesz appeared in Victoria provincial court on Thursday for what was supposed to be the start of a preliminary inquiry. His defence lawyer, Tom Morino, said after discussing the situation with the Crown, his client had elected to stand trial.
Kertesz, who has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 12, is to appear in B.C. Supreme Court on Sept. 20 to set a date for his judge-alone trial.
At the time of the attempted robbery, jewelry store owner Peter Everett told the Times 91原创 he was behind the counter when a man wearing a white hard hat and dust mask burst into the store and rushed down the aisle. A number of customers were in the store at the time, Everett said.
The man in the mask pointed a paintball gun in Everett's face, slammed a black bag down on the counter and told Everett to fill it up. Everett told the would-be robber to "bugger off."
Everett tackled the man and and held him to the floor with the help of a woman who was in the store. Police arrived shortly after.
