Summerside police arrest man for stealing cars, setting fire inside dealership

A 19-year-old Summerside man is in custody and facing several charges after police say he stole a vehicle and rammed his way into a car dealership on Water Street.

Police say the suspect first stole a car from the dealership at 3 a.m. Sunday. They say he returned in the evening, rammed the car through a bay door, thenset firesinside the dealership, stole a second vehicle from inside the business and rammed his way out through a garage bay door.

Police received a 911 call about the incident at the dealership one of several on Water Street just before 7 p.m. Sunday, said Summerside Police Sgt. Jason Blacquiere.

"The person had gone to the dealership to check on an alarm that had been triggered, and when he arrived at the business he found a fire inside the garage area some tires had been lit on fire and there was a suspect still inside the building," he said.

While police were on their way, the suspect took another vehicle from inside the dealership and rammed through a second garage door to escape, Blacquiere said.

Suspect did not co-operate,say police

When police arrived, the second vehicle was still in the parking lot. The suspect locked himself inside and refused to co-operate, police said, so an officer broke a window to remove him.

"Luckily, no one was injured," said Blacquiere.

The suspect remained in custody Sunday night and was to go before a justice of the peace late Monday afternoon for several charges to be laid, Blacquiere said. The charges includearson, break and enter, theft of a motor vehicle and damage to property.

Police have not yet been able to estimate the damage to the vehicles or to the business.

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