BANFF – An arsonist who tried to blow up a police car in Banff was quickly caught thanks to the fast actions of a passerby.
On the morning of Saturday (April 15), a man walking past the Banff RCMP detachment alerted officers to smoke coming from a police vehicle parked behind the Lynx Street building.
RCMP say officers on duty then discovered someone had placed a paper towel soaked in diesel conditioner into the gas filler pipe and lit the towel on fire, and then stayed in the vicinity to watch the fire.
“Luckily it was discovered and put out before we had a large bang,” said Staff Sgt. Mike Buxton-Carr, the detachment commander for Banff RCMP.
“Depending on how much oxygen is in the pipes, there’s potential there to ignite the tank. The vehicle was parked next to other vehicles so there was potential for it to damage the fleet, for sure.”
The RCMP officers were quick to put out the fire, with the assistance of the Banff fire department, which was called to ensure there was no risk of further ignition.
Buxton-Carr said police investigation at local service stations resulted in the discovery of video of a man purchasing diesel conditioner and lighters shortly before the incident.
He said the man matched the description of a person who had been watching the fire before it was extinguished.
“There were some people in the vicinity between Lynx Street and the train station and our officers and a witness took note of some of the people in the area,” said Buxton-Carr.
Buxton-Carr said RCMP appreciate the person who let them know of the smoke coming from the police vehicle.
“Thanks to that person who not only pulled over to alert our officers to the fact it happened, but took notes of a description of someone they saw watching, who ended up being the suspect,” he said.
A 29-year-old man from Edmonton, Michael Kozack, was charged with arson and will make his first court appearance in Canmore on May 31.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Banff RCMP at 403-763-6600 or by email to: [email protected].
Police say this incident is not related to a string of mischief events involving vehicle gas caps being left ajar, which occurred in Banff during the early morning hours of April 17.
