Residents left shaken after large-scale police operation in Maple Ridge
Posted July 20, 2026 7:46 am.
Last Updated July 20, 2026 8:04 am.
Residents of Maple Ridge say they are still wondering just what happened in their city Saturday after heavily armed police officers were seen conducting operations at several locations.
Helicopters, militarized police personnel, and dogs were seen working at a number of properties, and authorities made multiple arrests across the city.
It is still not clear what the operation was. The Maple Ridge RCMP said on social media it was responding to several properties near the Port Haney Wharf and Silver Valley areas “in connection with an ongoing investigation,” and that there was no risk to public safety.
Starting at around 4:30 p.m., several people posted on social media saying they heard large booms in the area.
Residents who spoke with CityNews on the condition of anonymity say authorities told them those were flash bangs or concussive grenades that were used to breach the buildings.
“All of a sudden I hear, ‘BOOM!’ And it startled my cat, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ve never seen my cat jump so high before,'” one local said.
“And they’re like, ‘You can’t come down here; even if you live down here, you can’t come down here.’ …Police were flying around the area for a good four hours looking for somebody.”
It’s not clear how many buildings were targeted simultaneously, but CityNews saw at least two.
Adding to the confusion, power went out in the area at around the same time. However, BC Hydro says that was unrelated to the police operation.
A home on St. Anne Avenue could be seen with a plywood sheet where a door once stood, with locals noting the home has been raided multiple times in the past several years.
It was the same story at Lee Avenue and 227 Street, where a house remained behind police tape Sunday, with a hole in the door and a smashed window visible from the street.
There’s still no word on what the nature of the operation was or whether anybody has been charged as a result.
We have reached out to the RCMP for more information.
