Man accused of ferry theft, smashing windows caught on video after alleged crime

CHEK
WatchWe have more insight on the man who police say stole a harbour ferry and let go, carried out a random rampage of vandalism in downtown Victoria. Court documents say he's connected to a laundry list of crimes even before those offenses. The victims of some, speaking out tonight. Julian Kolsut begins our coverage.

The man charged with stealing a water taxi and going on a window-smashing spree in Victoria was allegedly caught on video fleeing another crime.

According to court documents obtained by CHEK News, Matthew Phillipe Poirier, 32, is accused of being responsible for a litany of other crimes in the region including theft in Victoria on Dec. 28. He was also allegedly found inside a stolen Volkswagen on Dec. 29 in Saanich. He is also accused of throwing a tire from the Victoria Harris Dodge dealership into traffic on Yates Street and damaging a vehicle on the lot back on Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, witnesses tell CHEK News the incident on Dec. 28 involved Poirier allegedly entering a parked vehicle, being caught, and fleeing the scene.

“I came back downstairs and someone was in my car,” recalled Destiney Lemarquand.

Lemarquand explained that she had left to bring groceries upstairs into her place when the man decided to enter her vehicle. She said when she saw the man inside her car, she began yelling at him and eventually chased him.

“I came around the side of the car and yelled at him. He grabbed some things out of my car and ran away,” Lemarquand said. “I stood there for a minute and decided to chase him and get my stuff back.”

Lemarquand ended up using dog spray on the man and managed to catch up to him.

“He dropped all of my stuff in a trail, and then jumped into a running vehicle and tried to take that,” she said.

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Destiney Lemarquand, says a man, allegedly Matthew Phillipe Poirier, entered her vehicle on Dec. 28 and fled with some items, which he later dropped after she chased him. (CHEK News)

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That truck was Ryan Burghardt’s, owner of Budget Brake & Muffler Victoria.

“I’m just slowly backing up and watching for other vehicles, and I hear the thumping on the side of the vehicle as he is knocking on it,” Burghardt told CHEK News.

Burghardt said he yelled at the man, who managed to open the passenger door and tried to get inside the truck.

“As he opens the passenger door and tried to hop in, I yell at him, one of my guys tells him to get lost,” recalled Burghardt. “We chase him across the front of this shop and then across the front of our shop and catch him across the street.”

Surveillance video captured Burghardt and others chasing the man.

Burghardt said police eventually arrested the man but knowing that he was let back on the streets is troubling to him.

“One of my guys risks his life to chase this guy down and catch him and then he is out the next day causing stuff and out the next day,” he said. “It’s doing extensive damage to these businesses and to our reputation around Victoria.”

Lemarquand agrees.

“I don’t feel safe at all. There is no justice out of it I guess, they can do whatever they want,” she said.

Victoria Police did not respond to CHEK’s request for comment.

Poirier has been charged with 11 offences including theft of a motor vehicle. He is also charged with under $5,000 for allegedly stealing property from Lemarquand.

Poirier is expected back in court on Thursday.

RELATED: Witnesses recount Victoria water taxi theft

RELATED: Man who stole water taxi arrested for smashing windows at 14 locations in Victoria

Ryan Burghardt, owner of Budget Brake & Muffler in Victoria, says the same man attempted to enter his truck. He says he and some colleagues chased him out front of the shop on Dec. 28. The chase was captured on security footage. (CHEK News)

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Julian KolsutJulian Kolsut

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