Nanaimo police arrested a man after a series of incidents culminated in him barricading himself on a tugboat this past Sunday. The ordeal began when Mounties were called to Thrifty Foods at Port Place Mall around 2:45 p.m. for an alleged theft. The suspect, caught trying to leave with unpaid items, reportedly made threats when confronted by store security. Shortly after, the same man was spotted boarding a privately-owned tugboat nearby. He then barricaded himself inside and allegedly made threats against the responding officers, refusing to come out. To handle the situation, the RCMP deployed the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, negotiators, and marine services due to the potential for violence. The standoff ended around 5:30 p.m. with the suspect taken into custody. Inspector Donovan Tait commended the coordinated effort of the units for a swift and effective resolution. The suspect is currently facing charges of break and enter and two counts of mischief, and is being held in police custody.
