West Shore RCMP have confirmed that a suspect was arrested after setting fire to the mammoth statue at Royal Bay Beach.
Early this morning, a series of events unfolded at Esquimalt Lagoon and Royal Bay Beach, leading to the arrest of a man experiencing a mental health crisis.
Related: Potential suspect arrested after Royal Bay mammoth statues destroyed by fire (VIDEO)
At approximately 7 a.m. Monday July 15ht, West Shore RCMP responded to a call from the Colwood Fire Department regarding a man who had started a beach fire at the Esquimalt Lagoon.
Upon arrival, West Shore RCMP officers were informed by a witness that the suspect had not only ignited the beach fire but had also set fire to the mammoth statue at Royal Bay Beach before fleeing on foot.
The suspect, described as a 41-year-old man, was reportedly carrying a hatchet.
Police quickly located and apprehended the suspect a short distance from the scene.
Witnesses reported that the suspect had also used the hatchet to damage a set of stairs and a second wooden art statue.
The hatchet was found and seized by police near the arrest location.
The suspect is currently in police custody and is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon.
West Shore RCMP said they are recommending charges of arson causing damage to property and mischief over $5,000.
Both mammoth statues at Royal Bay Beach were destroyed by the fire.
Video captured by Gregg Carmichael shows both the mother and baby sculptures engulfed in flames. It’s too early to confirm if they are salvageable.
The popular creatures were created in 2017 by driftwood artist Alex Witcombe. Witcombe, who is from Comox Valley, created the pair of mammoths at Royal Bay’s Beachpark and was commissioned for another piece—now known as McGnarly the Beach Ent—as part of Colwood’s Eats and Beats festival.
The mammoths tell the story of a mammoth tooth that was uncovered during Royal Bay’s long history as a gravel pit that operated from about 1910 until 2007.
The estimated damage from the incidents is valued at approximately $30,000 to $40,000.
