File: 20-17846

Victoria, BC – Our investigation into a suspicious circumstance in Fernwood yesterday continues after officers used controlled blasts to render a suspicious object inert last night.

At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30th, Patrol officers were called to a basketball court in the 1200-block of Gladstone Avenue for a report of a suspicious circumstance. Callers reported that an unknown man dropped the toolbox at the basketball court and left the area. He left without speaking to anyone, including the young people who were using the area at the time.

Patrol officers attended the scene and determined that the toolbox was suspicious. Officers with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) were called to the scene.

A photograph of the toolbox is below:

Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU) officers processed the box and determined that additional support was required. Officers from the RCMP’s Lower Mainland EDU were called and attended the scene. After utilizing several key pieces of equipment, including the bomb robot, the box was rendered inert through four controlled demolition blasts over the course of the evening. We worked with members of the Fernwood community to keep them informed and up to date on events and prewarned about the noise associated with the blasts.

The toolbox contained metal, concrete and wiring.

The contents of the toolbox and the nature of its placement are considered suspicious.

The man who dropped off the toolbox is described as a Caucasian man, with a brown beard and a long sleeve shirt. He drove a white vehicle, possibly a Mazda, and took the toolbox out of the trunk before leaving it at the basketball court. Officers are interested in speaking with the man.

If you have any information about the toolbox, or the unknown man, please contact our non-emergency line at 250-995-7654. Please press #1 to speak with the report desk. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Thank you again to members of the Fernwood community for your patience, partnership and understanding last night.

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