Three fire hydrants were opened and left to spew thousands of litres of water onto residential streets on the Saanich-Victoria border Wednesday night.
Victoria and Saanich police and fire crews responded to the area of North Dairy Road and Doncaster Drive just before 11 p.m., said Sgt. Steve Eassie.
"It was determined there were three separate hydrants that were compromised by the action of this individual," Eassie said. "This is, simply put, a senseless act that utilized resources from numerous agencies."
A VicPD K9 team was able to locate an 18-inch wrench in the area capable of opening fire hydrants. Witnesses helped police identify a suspect, and a 42-year-old man was arrested for charges of mischief over $5,000. The man lives in the area, Eassie said.
The basement of a nearby home in the 1600-block of North Dairy Rd. was flooded and first responders helped the residents remove their property to avoid damage.
"It would have taken considerable effort for someone to open one hydrant, let alone three," Eassie said. "Thankfully, alert witnesses were able to provide key information to assist in identifying the person suspected of this crime."
The suspect was released pending a future court appearance.
editor@saanichnews.com