To those who patrol the streets of Durham Region, Nicholas David Burr is a name that resurfaces with unsettling regularity. He’s a persistent figure in the criminal justice system, a man who seems to defy attempts at rehabilitation, and is now the focus of an intensive manhunt.
Police are currently seeking the 36-year-old in connection with two brazen robberies that terrorized Oshawa convenience store employees within a 24-hour period. The first occurred Tuesday evening at Oshawa Grand Convenience, where a man brandishing a firearm demanded cash, leaving staff shaken but unharmed.
The following night, the situation escalated at One Stop Shopping Convenience. This time, the suspect wielded a knife, attempting to slash and stab at a courageous employee who defended himself with a chair. A display case was smashed, and lottery tickets were stolen before the suspect vanished into the night, leaving the victim with minor injuries.
Investigators quickly identified Burr as the prime suspect, and a warrant for his arrest was swiftly issued. Adding another layer of concern, authorities confirmed Burr was already under a weapons prohibition at the time of the robberies.
The charges against Burr are extensive: robbery with a firearm, robbery with a weapon, assault with a weapon, possession of stolen property, and a staggering ten counts of failing to comply with probation. This isn’t a sudden descent into criminality; it’s a pattern stretching back years.
In 2019, Burr allegedly attacked an individual in Cobourg with a knife, facing charges of assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Remarkably, he was released on a promise to appear in court. A similar scenario unfolded in 2020 following a break-and-enter in the same town.
This pattern of arrests and releases dates back even further. In 2013, a Justice of the Peace, already noting Burr’s “extensive” criminal record, granted him bail despite facing break-and-enter and probation violation charges. Even then, his aunt, acting as surety, expressed disbelief at his actions, stating she believed he was “doing excellent” until news of the arrest reached her.
Anyone with information regarding these robberies – whether it’s cell phone footage, dashcam recordings, or surveillance video – is urged to contact the Auto Robbery Crime Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5355. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), with the possibility of a cash reward.
