One man is in custody after officers from the Vancouver Police Department found weapons, including a sword, concealed in various parts of his e-bike.
In a post on X on Friday morning, the VPD revealed that they had arrested a 45-year-old man in front of the Murray Hotel, an SRO, on March 30. Officers were conducting a street-level drug investigation.
VPD officers initially arrested the suspect on drug and weapons offences.
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When officers searched the suspect, they discovered he had an open knife concealed in the e-bike’s handlebars. Officers also found he had a sword hidden along the e-bike’s battery.
VPD says the suspect has been charged and shared some photos of the suspect’s weapons and drug paraphernalia.
On March 30, #VPD patrol officers conducted a street-level drug investigation in front of the Murray Hotel (SRO) on Hornby St. A 45-year-old man on an e-bike was arrested for alleged drug and weapons offences.
Officers found drugs, an open knife concealed in the handlebars, and… pic.twitter.com/2BrysB0eYw— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 4, 2025
In a separate post on X, police shared that they arrested someone on the Cambie Bridge on Friday morning for swinging a stick at vehicles.
Task forces in full swing
In February, VPD launched Task Force Barrage to “restore safety” in the Downtown Eastside. In a recent update, the force shared some of the results of the task force.
During the first four weeks of the task force being in action, police responded to an average of 170 calls for service per day, or 4,760 total calls. During that same span of time, officers seized 197 weapons.
In that four-week span, police also made an average of seven criminal code arrests per day or a total of 204.
The VPD will also be involved in another anti-crime project recently announced by the City of Vancouver earlier this week, the Retail Security Task Force.
“Business owners and their employees – many of whom are women and young people – are experiencing an escalation in violent interactions with increasingly unpredictable and brazen shoplifters,” the city council briefing on the task force states.
The City of Vancouver says rampant shoplifting in the city has led to economic losses, reduced consumer confidence, and community safety and well-being.
“This isn’t just about stolen goods. It’s about protecting workers, standing up for local businesses, and making sure the people who keep our neighbourhoods thriving feel safe and supported,” said Sim.