One person was arrested Monday in connection with an Esquimalt construction site linked to mysterious loud noises late at night.
Victoria police spokesperson Griffen Hohl said the arrest followed an early-morning 911 call regarding three people at a construction site in the 900-block of Esquimalt Road.
“Officers attended and located two individuals nearby with a bike and a duffel bag containing a number of tools,” Hohl said.
The two individuals said they came from the direction of the construction site when questioned by police and were subsequently detained, he said.
One was found to have breached conditions from a separate incident by possessing the tools and a bicycle and was arrested, while the other person was released.
Damon Thompson, who lives across from the 899 Esquimalt Rd. construction site, said he was watching a movie with his girlfriend shortly before 1:30 a.m. when he heard a ruckus outside from the construction site and got up to take a look.
Thompson said he saw two individuals inside the site and a woman standing outside, apparently keeping a lookout.
One man was going through the construction equipment and walked away with about four duffel bags worth of tools, he said, adding that police took a while to show up after his girlfriend made the 911 call. Thompson said there was another break-in later that night. “Probably the same group, breaking into the building again,” he said.
Police said they went to the site again at 3 a.m. following a report of two individuals gaining access to the construction site, but officers were unable to locate anyone in or around the site .
The 899 Esquimalt Rd. construction site has become the subject of intense online speculation ever since residents began reporting loud, intermittent noises coming from the area since March.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said fire and police officials will continue to monitor the situation.
“They’re quite disturbing — they’re quite loud,” she said.
Desjardins said there are concerns the site’s West-Vancouver based developer, Lexi Development Group, is being targeted.
The building was the subject of an unusual hoax in February.
Flyers posted in Esquimalt and Victoria asked people to register for a non-existent medical clinic operated by Lexi Developers, the township and a third-party group via Esquimalt council, causing a wave of 140 emails to land in council inboxes.
Thompson said Monday’s break-in wasn’t typical of the noises that he hears about twice a week. “It was him flipping stuff inside the construction site, dropping stuff, breaking stuff, that type of noise.”
The louder bangs are likely caused by someone lighting firecrackers, he said. Thompson said he always reports the incidents to the local Facebook group when it happens. “I’ve seen the sparks and the flash.”
Hohl said the cause of the late鈥憂ight noises remains unknown.
