A workshop was completely destroyed and more than $100,000 of damage was done in an early morning arson incident. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

arson

Garage & rare items torched in south Nanaimo arson

Mar 23, 2021 | 2:18 PM

NANAIMO — South Nanaimo homeowners awoke in the early morning to find their garage on fire and the suspect standing in their driveway.

Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said the fire was set in the garage and workshop of an Eighth St. home near Bruce Ave. on Tuesday, March 23 around 4:30 a.m.

He said the owners looked outside to see the garage on fire and then saw a man standing in their driveway who they believed caused the fire.

It was “apparent to officers he was in a mental health crisis,” O’Brien said of the 27-year-old suspect of no fixed address who’s new to Nanaimo.

He was arrested and taken into custody. Nanaimo RCMP’s mental health liaison officer is now involved in the case.

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O’Brien said the fire is expected to have caused more than $100,000 in damage, including a torched rare car.

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