Nanaimo man's repeated arrests spark calls for bail changes

Barricaded inside a tugboat

Photo: COURTESY CHEK NEWS

A man was arrested after a five-hour armed standoff in Nanaimo on Feb. 1, 2026. 

A 44-year-old Nanaimo man was back in custody on Monday after a series of arrests, followed by release, that have raised concerns about Canada’s bail system.

The suspect was arrested on Feb. 1 after an incident that began with an attempted theft from Thrifty Foods, where a security guard was allegedly threatened, and ended with a man being barricaded for hours inside a tugboat on the Nanaimo waterfront, police said.

The tugboat was seriously damaged and the man made threats to Nanaimo RCMP officers who were called to the scene.

Police said their emergency response team, police dog services, negotiators and marine services were deployed because of the barricade and potential for violence.

The suspect was arrested on charges of break-and-enter and two counts of mischief.

He was released the next morning and was spotted shortly after at the boardwalk near the tugboat, its owner, Andrew Reynolds, told CHEK News.

Reynolds called the police, and the man was arrested for breaching his release conditions.

He was released again days later with stricter conditions, which he was charged with breaching on Friday, when he landed back in custody, said the B.C. Prosecution Service.

The man was remanded into custody, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

The man was also arrested in December and charged with assault with a weapon, resisting arrest and theft under $5,000.

The latest arrests and release prompted outcry in the community, said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog. He said he is “disgusted” that the man was released back on the streets.

“The frustration felt by the [boat] owner and the public in Nanaimo is very high” and the situation highlights a need for bail reform, he said.

“The concept that you can do that kind of damage in those circumstances, be caught on video, and then released twice just defies common sense.”

Krog said most such crimes involve mental health and substance-use issues, which he thinks could be solved by implementing involuntary care to provide people with treatment.

In October, the federal Liberals introduced a change to Bill C-14 that would make bail laws stricter and sentencing laws tougher. Since November, the bill has been in the committee stage, where it’s being debated.

Krog said that adding stricter sentencing laws won’t stop similar crimes from happening, because people can’t recover from mental health and substance issues as effectively while in custody.

“This poor fellow is entitled to the presumption of innocence, as is everybody, said Krog. “Having said that, we just want to be safe and protected, and our properties safe from damage and theft.”