In the absence of any arrests in the two cases of sabotage of the Sea to Sky Gondola, the company is doubling its reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
At the BC RCMP headquarters in Surrey on Sept. 14, the gondola’s general manager, Kirby Brown, announced his company is willing to pay up to $500,000 for a significant tip.
“Our community has been faced with something never before seen within our industry,” said Brown.
“We have renewed confidence in the RCMP investigation with the addition of the major crimes team to the case … This is one way that we can add something more and hope that the people who know this individual will come forward with this additional inducement.”
In both 2019 and 2020, the Sea to Sky Gondola’s cable was cut by a saboteur. The combined direct cost of both incidents was over $10 million.
On Wednesday, the two-year anniversary of the 2020 incident, the RCMP also released footage depicting a security guard passing under a portion of the gondola shortly before it was cut.
The film shows a guard with a flashlight walking underneath the structure seconds before it starts shaking. Lights in the distance flash, which officers said are cabins falling to the ground. The guard was not hurt.
“The security guard … was doing a patrol of the area and was walking underneath the gondola area that was carrying the cabins, and approximately five to seven seconds after he passed underneath that second cable is when the cable was completely cut and crashed down to the ground. So it was very close.,” Sgt. Chris Manseau said.
Brown said the security guard was aware something was happening and was calling the RCMP at the time.
“And suddenly, a catastrophe fell on his heels,” Manseau said. “An almost life-altering event for him.”
Police are looking to charges of mischief and mischief endangering life. Aside from stating the person was skilled, athletic and with extensive knowledge of the area, there were few details about the suspect.
Officers hope the footage will compel people to come forward with new information.
There is additional footage that RCMP has of the incident, but officers will only be releasing this clip for now.
One hundred tips have been received, and 70 people of interest have been interviewed during the ongoing investigation, police say.
As previously reported, the RCMP’s major crimes unit has taken over the investigation from Squamish RCMP.
**This story has been updated as new information came in.
