A man is in police custody following an incident in which he is alleged to have smashed windows with a machete and crashed a car in downtown Nanaimo.

According to a press release, RCMP received numerous calls at 1:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2, about a suspect who had broken windows, assaulted people and stolen a vehicle in the 2100 block of Duggan Road. The vehicle was seen being driven 鈥渆rratically,鈥� noted the press release, and crashed at the intersection of Wesley and Franklyn streets, with the suspect fleeing the scene.

RCMP officers chased the suspect on foot and he was arrested on Shaw Lane 30 minutes later.

Christopher Bartos, 32, has been charged with two counts of breaking-and-entering a house, two counts of robbery and single counts of aggravated assault and theft of a vehicle. He is expected to have a bail hearing the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The incident is still under investigation, said police in the release, and anyone with any related video is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP's non-emergency line at 250-754-2345, citing file No. 2024-28725.

karl.yu@nanaimobulletin.com
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