Nanaimo RCMP have arrested a man following a dangerous crime spree on Labour Day.
Police say on Monday at 1:45 p.m., they received several calls of a man with a machete breaking into homes, assaulting a person and stealing their car in the 2100 block of Duggan Road.
Constable Sherri Wade says according to witnesses, he used the machete to break into one home, before breaking into another and was chased by its residents.
“He then ran to Davis Road, which is near Duggan. He attacked a gentleman and wounded him in his driveway and then stole his car,” said Wade.
“The man was taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, treated, and released.”
She says the man was driving at a high-speed northeast on Bowen Road, later travelling southbound on Island Highway towards the downtown before losing control of the vehicle and crashing at the intersection of Albert Street and Dunsmuir Street.
Wade says the man fled on foot.
“Witnesses directed us to the Port Place Mall on Commercial Street, and around that time people were calling from the mall of a man in the parking lot trying to fight with people and doing damage to vehicles and trying to steal them,” said Wade.
“So members got to that parking lot and arrested him with no incident.”
After being arrested, the man was detained for court on Tuesday, where he has been charged with 2 counts of Break and Enter into a Dwelling House, 2 counts of Robbery, 1 count of Aggravated Assault, and Theft of a Motor Vehicle.
Wade adds they don’t know if it was a medically or substance-induced spree, with the officer’s main goal being to stop him.
Currently, the man is being held until September 11, which is his next court date.
Police say they’re investigating the situation, with more charges possibly coming.
If you have video footage of what happened that day on Duggan Place and Port Place Mall parking lot between 1:30 p.m. and 2:15 pm., you should call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
