A North Vancouver man is facing criminal charges after allegedly calling 9-1-1 to report an imaginary axe fight in his front yard.
The 52-year-old phoned the North Vancouver RCMP at about noon Monday to say two men were attacking each other with axes in front of his home on Seymour River Place, according to investigators. The men were bleeding badly, he said.
Police responded in force, sending as many as eight squad cars to the scene, as well as a dog team and an ambulance. Officers fanned out across the area but found no sign of the reported confrontation. On questioning, the man admitted the call was a hoax.
Police weren't laughing. "It comes down to public resources," said Cpl. Richard De Jong, a spokesman for the North Vancouver detachment. "We had the dog services; we had B.C. Ambulance; we had multiple cars. What if there had been an armed robbery at the other end of town?"
North Vancouver resident William McCallum was arrested and charged with public mischief, a criminal offence. He was later released on conditions and will be reappearing in court Oct. 5.
De Jong wouldn't say if alcohol was a factor in the incident.
"That's part of the investigation," he said.
