Police arrest Nanaimo man with loaded sawed-off shotgun in backpack

Nanaimo RCMP says a man with several axes, knives and a sawed-off shotgun was arrested on Tuesday morning.

Mounties say they were called to the parking lot of the 7-Eleven on Fifth Street for a report of people loitering in the area around 10:30 a.m.

When officers arrived, they saw three men sitting in the parking lot, one of whom was known to police.

That man is currently on a court-ordered condition not to possess “break-in tools” of any kind. Mounties say he had a large axe with him, which officers considered to be a break-in tool, so he was arrested.

‘Loaded and ready to fire’

While police were arresting the man, officers reportedly found another, smaller axe on his person, as well as several knives.

Mounties also found a sawed-off shotgun in his backpack, which was “loaded and ready to fire.”

“Alarmingly, officers are finding more and more of these modified firearms, replica firearms (airsoft), bear spray and assortment of knives and weapons on a daily basis,” said Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.

“This patrol, while seemingly routine, was not and is a testament to the diligence of the bike patrol and other front-line officers on keeping the criminal element in check and our community safe,” he said in a release Wednesday.

The Nanaimo man, 29-year-old Roddy Weidman, of no fixed address, was arrested and held in custody until his court appearance on Wednesday. He remains in police custody until his next court appearance on April 30.

None of the charges have been proven in court.

SEE ALSO:

• Nanaimo RCMP gets criticized from within over crime increase: ‘I want the public to know’
• Campbell River RCMP seize shotgun from man known to police

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