Last Sunday the Port Hardy RCMP and Port Hardy Fire Rescue responded to call shortly after 10 p.m., attending to an incident involving a parked car which was lit on fire.
According to Staff Sgt. Wes Olsen’s police report, a Chevrolet Cruze vehicle had “sustained some interior damage,” which was parked outside Waddington Gardens, Port Hardy. The vehicle’s owner reported suspicious activity after observing “a lone male wearing a grey hooded sweater and a baseball hat inside her vehicle attempting to light it on fire.” Olsen also confirmed that a number of items within the vehicle were charred after having been set “ablaze,” the report stated.
The victim, who’s black iPod and a gold iPhone 6 was stolen from the vehicle, sustained burns while attempting to put out the fire in the vehicle. The victim, according to an online post, had his hands bandaged while needing to redress the burns every day. The victim stated his injuries should heal within a few weeks.
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The victim’s partner also commented that the neighbours notified them of the break-in. The vehicle, according to the two victims, was “vandalized,” while other cars in the vicinity were also robbed. The victim hopes police “catch whoever did this” and hopes she will retrieve her reportedly stolen wallet.
Video surveillance revealed that a male did, in fact, enter the car and tried to light it on fire. The suspect also broke into a nearby car and rifled through the owner’s personal belongings within the Chevrolet Silverado pickup. The victim noted her neighbour provided footage to the police, which was about a 15-minute video of the suspect. According to the victim, the suspect not only broke into the car and left the scene but came back to the car and decided to relight the car.
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The victim had her Chevrolet Cruze repaired recently.
According to the footage, the suspect then left the scene riding a “child’s bike.” Onlookers noted that the male suspect ventured into the nearby bushes and into a wooded area. The initial witness stated to the police that when confronting the suspect after observing him break into the car he promptly took off.
The local RCMP detachment will continue to investigate the case and are attempting to identify the male suspect. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the local RCMP detachment or Crimestoppers if Port Hardy residents wish to remain anonymous.
