New Westminster police respond to reports of a man with a handgun-style butane lighter
Posted April 22, 2026 3:34 pm.
Last Updated April 22, 2026 3:37 pm.
The New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) says it has responded to multiple reports from residents who say they saw a man with a butane lighter in the shape of a handgun.
On April 21, around 1 p.m., the NWPD was dispatched to Clarkson Street after a resident told the police they saw an individual with a handgun, followed by a similar 911 call.
Police also dispatched a drone to confirm that what was believed to be a handgun was a lighter.
The alleged suspect handed over the lighter to be disposed of by the police following a conversation about how his possession of the gun-shaped lighter had caused distress to the public.
“The use of the NWPD drone avoided what would have been a much larger and higher-risk police response,” the NWPD said in a news release.
If these gun-shaped lighters are mistaken for actual firearms, the police say, it can result in police interactions and 911 calls, leading to increased police response.
Sgt. Andrew Leaver says possession of such handgun-shaped lighters can lead to serious public dangers.
“When someone brandishes something that looks like a handgun in a public setting, they’re putting themselves and everyone around them at risk,” said Leaver.
