Overview
- Police identified the suspect as Victor Leslie Atkinson, who is charged with arson and theft under $5,000 and remains in custody.
- Investigators say he entered the Nesters at 333 Abbott Street on Monday around 5:30 p.m., took items, then set a fire before leaving.
- Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services extinguished the blaze with no reported injuries, and the store sustained extensive smoke, fire and water damage.
- The Woodward’s Nesters remains closed with damage estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the owner aims to reopen after inspections at a store many nearby residents rely on for groceries.
- Mayor Ken Sim tied the incident to repeat-offender concerns and pointed to a planned VPD District 5 office and training academy at Woodward’s after a recent London Drugs closure over safety issues.