A 20-year-old Vancouver man was arrested in Saanich Monday night while carrying a replica .45 calibre rifle, a 12.5-inch kitchen knife, a five-inch throwing knife, a box cutter, a balaclava and makeshift handcuffs – all "for protection."
Saanich police were called to St. Patricks elementary school on Trent Street around 11:20 p.m. from a neighbour who suspected seeing two males drinking on the school grounds.
A patrol officer who attended made contact with the young men, and immediately suspected they had been drinking and smoking marijuana.
The officer searched the 20-year-old male, and first found a heavy-duty plastic zip-tie, identical to what police use as makeshift handcuffs. A continued search uncovered the throwing knife, the box cutter and the kitchen knife.
A second officer attended and continued the search, which uncovered the replica weapon – a pellet gun.
When questioned by the officers about why he was carrying the weapons, the man told the police it was for protection.
A search of his backpack uncovered the balaclava and a pair of black leather gloves.
"Not often do we see all these items in one persons' possession," Sgt. Dean Jantzen said. "You put it all together and investigators can draw significant conclusions for what (all the items) could have been used for."
The man was arrested, and a subsequent background check uncovered he was wanted on an outstanding assault warrant from Victoria police.
Charges of carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a weapon for dangerous purposes were recommended.
The second man was not arrested.
kslavin@saanichnews.com