Nanaimo man, armed with machete, faces multiple charges for series of crimes

Police say a man armed with a machete is facing multiple charges including aggravated assault, after reports of a series of crimes Monday.

In a release, the Nanaimo RCMP said they received calls about a man smashing windows with a machete, assaulting people and stealing a vehicle around 1:45 p.m. along Duggan Road.

Christopher Bartos, a 32-year-old from Nanaimo, was arrested, detained for court on Sept. 3, and charged with two counts of breaking and entering into a dwelling, two counts of robbery, and one count of aggravated assault and theft of a motor vehicle.

Mounties say witnesses saw the suspect use the machete to break into two homes. During the first incident, the owner ran away. During the second, the suspect was chased out by residents. He then attacked a man in his driveway, chased the man and his wife, demanded their keys, and stole their car.

Bartos allegedly stole the couple’s car, drove erratically, hit a median at Comox Street and Terminal Avenue and flew through the air, he continued to drive and crashed an the intersection of Albert and Dunsmuir street. He then proceeded to run.

Police say the man who was attacked was taken to hospital, treated, and released.

Police say 911 callers reported that a man was in the parking lot of the Port Place Mall on Commercial Street, trying to break into vehicles and fighting with people in the parking lot.

“Officers located the male at Port Place mall, many of whom were familiar with the suspect,” Mounties said.

Bartos is still in custody, waiting for his bail hearing. Police say the investigation is ongoing and that more charges may be laid.

RCMP is requesting anyone with video footage of the events between 1:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. on Sept. 2 to contact the Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.