Person accused in DTES grocery store arson has extensive criminal history – BC | Globalnews.ca
A fire set inside a Nesters Market in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside caused more than $400,000 in damage, according to the president of the organization that owns it.
Pattison Food Group president Jamie Nelson shared a statement on the situation on Tuesday, saying that the store remains closed more than a week after the incident.
Victor Leslie Atkinson, 50, was charged with arson and theft under $5,000 in connection with the fire on March 30.
“Our information, confirmed by the Vancouver Police Department, indicates the suspect in this arson has had approximately 200 past interactions with law enforcement, including numerous prior criminal convictions,” Nelson said in a statement.
“This extensive criminal history raises serious concerns about public safety, accountability, and the systemic gaps that continue to place frontline workers, customers, and essential community services at risk.”
Nelson said that to learn about this incident with the accused criminal’s history was particularly disappointing, as they decided to renew their lease in the Woodward’s building to support the community, with the expectation that meaningful improvements to public safety would continue.
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“Unfortunately, crime in this area has steadily increased over the past decade,” Nelson said.
“More alarmingly, in the past two years alone, retail crime and associated violent incidents have risen by more than 118% in this store’s location. Despite additional internal security measures, this location remains one of the most challenging environments for our teams, with arrests, violent incidents, and threats continuing to be a concern.”
Nelson said they are grateful to the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department for increasing patrols and security in the area, and that while that has made a difference, the recent arson makes it clear that it is not enough.
“We urgently need coordinated, sustained support from all levels of government, municipal, provincial, and federal, to address the root causes driving this cycle of violence and to protect our communities,” he said.
Global News has reached out to the area’s MLA to find out what safety measures are being implemented in the area.
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