A man faces 31 charges after damaging multiple gas meters in downtown Regina.
On Saturday, police received multiple reports of gas leaks throughout the downtown area at different meters.
The next day, police were dispatched to the area of the 1800 block of Scarth Street for another report of a male cutting gas lines. The call came from a Regina Fire Department fire inspector attending to a large fire in a commercial building on 12th Avenue.
The fire inspector observed the man cutting a gas line and attempted to stop him. At this point, the suspect male threatened him with a bladed weapon and fled the scene.
Shortly after, another caller reported to police that he observed a man cutting gas lines in the downtown area. When he attempted to stop the suspect, the suspect also threatened him with a bladed weapon.
Police located the suspect, a 39-year-old male, on the corner of 11th Avenue and Hamilton Street, where he was arrested, with the bladed weapon being recovered nearby.
Another four damaged gas meters were accounted for, resulting in a total of twenty-six gas meters damaged, with since having been repaired.
The man is also believed to be responsible for two acts of downtown graffiti that evening.
Police did note that the investigation into the commercial building fire is ongoing.
As a result of the investigation into the damaged gas lines and the assault, a 39-year-old is 25 counts of mischief under $5,000, three counts of mischief over $5,000, two counts of assault with a weapon, and one charge of endangering public lives.
On Monday, the 39-year-old made his first court appearance on these charges in Provincial Court.
