17-year-old charged after bear mace sprayed into homes, cars in Regina

Regina police have charged a 17-year-old boy after bear mace was sprayed into two homes and two cars in the Churchill Downs area of the city early Thursday.

In a media release, police said officers responded at about 1:40 a.m., to a house in the 100 block of Halifax Street North for a weapons call.

“Early information provided to police stated that a person had been bear sprayed through an open window while sleeping,” the release said. “When police arrived, they located a ladder leaned up against the residence under the window.”

Police said that while officers were in the area investigating that incident, they found a vehicle parked nearby with its doors open and the smell of bear mace emanating from it. Members of the canine unit subsequently found a second vehicle in the 100 block of St. John Street North that had received the same treatment.

That led police to talk to the residents of a nearby home who said they too had had bear mace sprayed through the open windows of their home.

“It is believed the suspect was not known to the victims in either bear mace incident,” police said.

The canine unit tracked down a suspect in the 100 block of St. John Street North, where he was arrested. Police believe the teen stole items from the two vehicles that had been found by police.

The 17-year-old, who can’t be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with three counts of theft under $5,000, two counts of assault with a weapon, and one count of mischief under $5,000.

He was to appear in Youth Provincial Court on Thursday.