An agitated man heard walking on the roof of a building on Church St. near Bastion St. led to a considerable response from Nanaimo RCMP. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

high crime

VIDEO: Nanaimo RCMP arrest ‘roof top crawler’ after several downtown businesses broken into

Apr 21, 2022 | 2:39 PM

NANAIMO — A suspect used an unusual strategy to allegedly break into multiple downtown businesses.

A 27-year-old man was arrested after police say he used a stolen ladder to get on top of a heritage building on Church St. on Tuesday, April 19 at around 10 p.m and broke into multiple second floor businesses, according to Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O’Brien.

A local resident reported foot steps on the roof of the building and called police.

O’Brien said the suspect frequently stuck his head out windows he broke after being surrounded by emergency responders.

“Our members tried to have dialogue with this person but it was obvious to them that the person was on some type of drug, highly irrational, uncooperative,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW, who noted the suspect originally broke into Senini Graphics.

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Police and firefighters breached the front door, while police were positioned on the roof of the nearby Coast Bastion Hotel to monitor the suspect’s movements.

He was then arrested.

“This person received minor injuries during that arrest, he was treated at the scene then taken to cells. Police Service Dog Knight received some injuries to his paws and he was later treated at a local veterinarian hospital.”

The suspect was later released from police custody ahead of an initial court appearance in late June on charges of break and enter, theft under $5,000 and mischief.

O’Brien noted the suspect is from the south Vancouver Island area.

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