VicPD say a man who was arrested Friday morning after a spree of mischief is a recently-released convict who travelled to Victoria from Los Angeles.
According to police, the incident occurred just before 2 a.m. on April 30th, when multiple people called 911 to report a disturbance at a multi-unit residential building in the 1600-block of Quadra Street.
Callers said a man was throwing rocks at the building and smashing windows. Officers arrived and found a man inside a suite, and saw him throw a television through the suite window to the ground below.
VicPD deployed a police service dog, and the man gave himself up and was taken into custody without incident or injury.
Eyewitness video supplied to Victoria Buzz shows a police service dog barking outside of a building, along with several police officers. A suspect is taken into custody shortly afterwards.
As he was taken into custody, the man told officers he had also been at another location in the 800-block of Dunsmuir Road in Esquimalt.
An investigation at this second location discovered damage as well.
VicPD says that their investigation determined that the man had been released from a correctional facility in Los Angeles a week prior. Following his release he made his way to Victoria and targeted the two locations.
While in custody to await a morning court appearance, VicPD say the man-made statements that caused jail staff and officers to become concerned for his mental health. He was taken to hospital for a mental health assessment.
Police say no one was physically harmed in the incidents, but the estimated cost of the damage is “significant.”
This file remains under investigation.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call VicPD at (250) 995-7654 extension 1. Anonymous reports can be made through Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
