THUNDER BAY – Crime – Redwood Alliance Church was the scene of a demolition derby on Sunday night. A seventeen year old young male allegedly tried breaking into four vehicles in the parking lot, and then in attempting to steal a vehicle smashed into seven other vehicles.

Redwood Alliance Church scene of incident

The youth, who can not be identified as he is protected by the Young Offenders Act was reportedly intoxicated when he committed the alleged acts.

Thunder Bay Police were called to Redwood Park Church at 8:30PM on Sunday evening.  Church parishioners were able to apprehend the individual, as well as hold the suspect until officers arrived on the scene.

The youth was taken into custody and will appear in court on Monday facing charges of drunk driving, theft of a vehicle, and three counts of breach of probation.

Citizen’s Power of Arrest

Section 494 of the Criminal Code of Canada,
dealing with citizen’s arrest

Arrest without warrant by any person

494. (1) Any one may arrest without warrant

(a) a person whom he finds committing an indictable offence; or

(b) a person who, on reasonable grounds, he believes

(i) has committed a criminal offence, and

(ii) is escaping from and freshly pursued by persons who have lawful authority to arrest that person.

Arrest by owner, etc., of property

(2) Any one who is

(a) the owner or a person in lawful possession of property, or

(b) a person authorized by the owner or by a person in lawful possession of property,

may arrest without warrant a person whom he finds committing a criminal offence on or in relation to that property.

Delivery to peace officer

(3) Any one other than a peace officer who arrests a person without warrant shall forthwith deliver the person to a peace officer.

R.S., c. C-34, s. 449; R.S., c. 2(2nd Supp.), s. 5.