A man who tried to steal a Fringe show’s ticket earnings Tuesday night was chased down by a theatre employee and a Victoria police canine team, recovering most of the money.
Staff at Metro Studio Theatre on Quadra Street were selling tickets at the door for the dance show Dreamscape just before 7 p.m. when a thief grabbed a bag of cash and ran, said Heather Lindsay, the theatre’s general manager.
A staff member called 911 and chased the man, watching him stash cash in his pockets and drop other bills at the corner of Pandora Avenue and Vancouver Street. She lost sight of him on Balmoral Road.
Another witness called 911 to report a man crawling into a parkade in the 900-block of Balmoral Road, said Victoria police spokesman Bowen Osoko. The man matched the description of the thief. VicPD canine officer Const. Calvin Ewer and his dog Bondo joined the search.
Bondo went into the parking garage and quickly found the suspect hiding in the bed of a pickup truck. He was taken into custody without incident. Police found money in the man’s pockets and some that was dropped near Pandora Avenue and Vancouver Street.
Lindsay said most of the cash was recovered, leaving the theatre about $250 short.
“Our venue manager, she was incredible and handled everything so beautifully and professionally,” Lindsay said. “The good thing is that no one felt unsafe, there was no aggression, it was just one of those unfortunate situations where someone wanted money.”
One charge of theft under $5,000 is being recommended against the man, who is well-known to police and who remains in custody, Osoko said.
The festival is staging shows at venues around Greater Victoria until Sunday.
