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Police deem contents, placement of toolbox left in Victoria basketball court suspicious

Box contained concrete, metal and wiring, says VicPD
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VicPD respond to an April 30 incident on Gladstone Avenue in Victoria. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)

VicPD is searching for the man who dropped off a “suspicious” toolbox in Fernwood on Thursday afternoon.

Around 12:30 p.m. on April 30, VicPD was alerted by Fernwood residents that a suspicious metal toolbox – later found to contain concrete, metal and wiring – had been spotted near a basketball court in the 1200-block of Gladstone Avenue.

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Callers told police that the metal toolbox, which was welded shut, had been dropped off at the basketball court earlier in the day by “an unknown man” driving a white vehicle.

VicPD called in the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team and RCMP Lower Mainland Explosive Ordinance Disposal team for back up.

Officers used various equipment, including a bomb robot, to deescalate the situation. Four controlled demolition blasts were also used though residents were warned before each loud bang rang through the neighbourhood.

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Upon opening the toolbox, police found metal, concrete and wiring.

“The contents of the toolbox and the nature of its placement are considered suspicious,” said VicPD in a written statement on Friday afternoon.

Police are still searching for the man who dropped off the toolbox. He is described as a Caucasian man, with a brown beard and a long sleeve shirt.

Anyone with information about the toolbox or the man is asked to contact the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654 and press #1 to speak with the report desk. Anonymous reports can be made through the Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.


@devonscarlett
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devon.bidal@saanichnews.com