A man who broke into a vacant commercial property and waved a knife at a security guard tried to escape Spiderman-style from a rooftop before being arrested Saturday morning.
Just before 6 a.m. Saturday, North Vancouver RCMP received a call of a break and enter in progress on the 100 block of 15th Street West, an area slated for redevelopment.
It’s alleged that a man waved a knife at a security guard inside the building, said Const. Mansoor Sahak, spokesman for the detachment.
The suspect fled on foot to the rooftop, said Sahak, then reportedly crossed to rooftops of other adjacent buildings while attempting to evade capture.
Police decided it wasn’t safe to pursue him on the roof, but continued to track his movements from the ground, while calling in back-up from the Integrated Emergency Response Team, who are trained in working at heights, said Sahak.
Shortly after 9 a.m. – three hours after the drama began – the emergency response team arrested the suspect, with the help of a police dog, said Sahak.
Sahak said it’s too early to tell if mental health was a factor.
Sahak said police are recommending multiple charges, including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Police believe this is an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing risk to the public, he said.
