What began as an attempted theft at a Nanaimo grocery store Sunday afternoon ended hours later with a man in police custody after he barricaded himself inside a vessel on the waterfront.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, officers were first called to Thrifty Foods at Port Place Mall at around 2:45 p.m. on February 1st, after staff reported a man attempting to leave the store with unpaid merchandise.
Police say the man allegedly threatened a loss prevention officer when confronted by store security before leaving the area.
A short time later, officers located the same individual after he boarded a privately owned tugboat moored along the Nanaimo waterfront.
When police attempted to make contact, the man allegedly barricaded himself inside the vessel, made threats toward officers, and refused to come out.
Police quickly established a containment area around the vessel as a precaution. Due to the barricaded nature of the situation and concerns about potential violence, several RCMP specialized units were deployed, including the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, RCMP negotiators, and West Coast RCMP Marine Services.
The response also involved coordination with the Nanaimo Port Authority, Nanaimo Fire Rescue, and BC Ambulance Service, contributing to a significant and highly visible police presence in the area for several hours.
At approximately 5:30 p.m., the man was safely taken into custody without reported injuries.
“This safe outcome in a precarious marine environment was the direct result of disciplined coordination between RCMP frontline members, specialized units, and our partners,” said Inspector Donovan Tait, operations officer with Nanaimo RCMP.
“The integration of West Coast RCMP Marine Services with local agencies allowed for a swift, controlled, and effective response.”
The suspect was arrested on charges of break-and-enter and two counts of mischief. Police say a detailed report will be forwarded to Crown counsel for consideration of charges.
The man remains in custody.
