A man was arrested on Friday evening following a report of a stolen recreational vehicle outside the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
Police were called to the intersection of Pembroke and Quadra Street, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Feb. 10, after authorities became aware of the presence of a stolen recreational vehicle that had gone missing a day earlier.
Upon further investigation, officers uncovered the suspect had multiple outstanding warrants and a history of firearm offenses.
This is about an hour ago pic.twitter.com/1v67oJ6PRx
— Freedom For all!#WeAreSovereign (@LelaPerkins) February 11, 2023
It remains unclear whether the man was actually armed however the police response was extensive, with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) deploying their Armoured Rescue Vehicle (ARV) to the scene. An area spanning between Caledonia to Empress Avenue was closed off, just as members of the public were leaving the area after a hockey game at the stadium came to a close.
Apologies for the delay getting to your vehicle & the inconvenience. We’re working to resolve this incident safely, but it could take some time. We’ll provide regular updates.
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) February 11, 2023
According to a news release put out by the Victoria Police department, officers managed to convince the man to surrender peacefully just after 10:45 p.m. No one was injured and the streets were reopened shortly after the suspect was taken into custody.
This incident remains under investigation.
Roger Collins
