A 56-year-old man has been arrested after a suspect allegedly robbed a bank then caused multiple collisions on Highway 1 during Tuesday afternoon’s commute. Just before noon on March 25, 2025, Burnaby RCMP responded to reports of a robbery at a bank in the 6700 block of Hastings Street in Burnaby.
The suspect fled the area before police were called. Nobody was injured in the robbery.
While Burnaby RCMP officers were in the early stages of their investigation, an erratic driver matching the description of the bank robbery suspect was then allegedly involved in several collisions which occurred on Highway 1 eastbound between Gaglardi Way and Brunette Avenue.
When the damaged vehicle came to a stop on the highway, the driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle and ran across the highway towards a retaining wall surrounded by thick brush. The suspect did not comply with police commands. After attempting to de-escalate the situation, officers deployed non-lethal rounds in an attempt to take the man into custody; however, he continued to ignore police instructions. He was arrested with assistance from a police service dog from the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service (LMDIPDS).
The suspect was treated at the hospital for minor injuries.
“This was a dynamic and dangerous situation on highway one, which had significant impacts on traffic through the afternoon,” said Cpl. Mike Kalanj. “The officers involved in this arrest were able to take the suspect into custody while keeping the public safe. It is a testament to these officers that there were no serious injuries.”
Burnaby RCMP would like to thank BC Highway Patrol, BC RCMP’s Air One, LMDIPDS and all the police agencies that assisted in the safe arrest of this suspect.
He’s probably at home already