Man charged with endangering lives after gas meters damaged in downtown Regina | CBC News

A 39 year-old man is facing 31 charges after more than two dozen gas meters were damaged in downtown Regina during the weekend.

Police say a Regina Fire Department inspector who was working at the site of a large fire at a downtown commercial building caught the man in the act of cutting a gas line on Sunday morning.

Police received a call around 7:40 a.m. from the fire inspector, who had seen the man in the 1800 block of Scarth Street and tried to stop him. Police said in a news release that the man threatened the inspector with a “bladed weapon” and ran away.

Shortly after, another caller reported to police that he saw a man cutting gas lines downtown. Police said when that caller attempted to stop the man, the man also threatened him with weapon.

Police said they located and arrested a man on the corner of 11th Avenue and Hamilton Street at about 7:45 a.m. and recovered a bladed weapon nearby.

The man was allegedly damaging gas metres on Saturday as well.

At approximately 11 p.m. Saturday, police were contacted by the Regina Fire Department about a potential gas leak at a business on the 1900 block of Victoria Avenue. Police said a caller heard a high-pressure release sound and observed a man running away from a gas meter.

Police attended the area to provide traffic control while the leak was investigated and repaired.

Minutes later, an employee of a business on the 2100 block of Victoria Avenue also called police to report the smell of natural gas in the area. Shortly after, a damaged gas meter was located on the 2000 block of Cornwall Street.

During the next several hours, multiple reports of gas leaks at different meters were received. 

After the 39-year-old was arrested on Sunday, an additional four damaged gas meters were found, according to police. 

Police said the total number of damaged gas meters was 26, and that all meters have since been repaired.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the commercial building fire on 12th Avenue is ongoing. The Regina Police Service told CBC News that it is not able to investigate any possible connection between the gas meter vandalism and the heritage building fire until the fire department gets further in its investigation. However, a full investigation cannot proceed until the fire is completely put out.

The 39-year-old man arrested on Sunday faces mischief charges, a charge of endangering lives and two charges of assault with a weapon. 

Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to contact the Regina Police Service or Regina Crime Stoppers.