Meghan Melnyk charged with bank robbery
Former president of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University, Meghan Melnyk, was apprehended on a bank robbery charge on Feb. 29. As of March 1, police said Melnyk was in custody.
According to police, a suspect produced a note demanding money from a teller at the Servus Credit Union in the 5300 block of 68 Ave. S.E. in Calgary.
While Servus Credit Union spokesperson Michael Dickinson said he’s unable to comment on details related to an ongoing investigation, he also said that he’s relieved nobody got hurt.
“We’re pleased that our staff and our members are safe and sound,” he said.
Meghan Melnyk, former president of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University has been charged with bank robbery.
Photo courtesy of: Bryan Weismiller, The ReflectorPolice stated the note indicated the suspect had a weapon. The teller then handed over “an undisclosed amount of cash” that contained a dye pack before the suspect exited the bank.
The money has since been recovered, though police have not yet recovered the dye pack.
Acting Inspector Grant Miller, with Calgary Police, said during the arrest of the suspect, a knife was found.
According to police, Melnyk’s vehicle was spotted by HAWC2, a Calgary police helicopter, and she was then “taken into custody by members of the tactical team.”
She faces charges of robbery, possession of a prohibited weapon, and committing an indictable offence while disguised.
Melnyk’s troubled history
Police said that Melnyk also had outstanding arrest warrants for fraud and uttering forged documents. These two outstanding warrants involved incidents of a stolen purse and forged cheques from 2010-2011, stated police.
There was also an outstanding warrant for a breach of probation.
Melnyk resigned as president of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University in late January. In a letter to the university newspaper, The Reflector, Melnyk wished her colleagues well, but didn’t provide details regarding her early departure.
The students’ association executive, in a Jan. 31 statement, indicated Melnyk had stepped down after the first of a series of periodic reviews, which addressed “several potential anomalies and policy compliance issues for which Council was unable to receive a satisfactory explanation within a reasonable time frame.”
Police said they are not investigating any matters related to Melnyk’s resignation as the MRU students’ association president.
SAMRU executive members react
Michelle Dennis, SAMRU’s current VP external, said: “We are very saddened about the circumstances that Meghan finds herself in… We hope that she finds the support and help that she needs.”
Previous to her position as president with SAMRU, Melnyk was the SAMRU’s VP external for a year, and previously held a double major as an info design and policy studies student at MRU.
Reacting to the news of the robbery charge, Kaylene McTavish, SAMRU’s current VP of student life, said, “I was personally shocked.”
Produced by: Taryn Hajnrych
MRU president responds
In a statement retrieved from the university’s Facebook page, David Docherty, MRU president said, “Though Meghan resigned from the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University, she is still a student here. We are concerned for her well being just as we are for all members of our community.
“We do not know what drove Meghan to take this course of action; however, we hope she receives the help she needs for the issues that led her to this point.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated March 2 to include a statement from David Docherty, Mount Royal University president.
New developments: See Friday’s coverage here.
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