Man charged with assault with weapon, intimidation after Pitt Meadows theft investigation
Pitt Meadows RCMP announced a man has been charged with possession of stolen property, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, intimidation by threats or violence, and assault with a weapon.
On Oct. 14, the detachment announced the charges against Christian Darren Leggatt, stemming from an an incident on Oct. 1, when police responded to a report of a theft outside a retail store in the 19800-block of Lougheed Highway.
According to police, a woman had been detained by loss prevention officers but allegedly fled the scene with the assistance of a male associate in a vehicle. The man was reportedly in possession of a weapon.
Police identified the suspect vehicle and circulated its description to law enforcement agencies throughout the Lower Mainland.
The following day, Oct. 2, officers with the BC Highway Patrol Prohibited Driver Enforcement Team located the vehicle in Maple Ridge and began preliminary surveillance.
Officers from Maple Ridge RCMP and the Coquitlam RCMP Strike Force Team subsequently joined the operation, with assistance from the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service.
The coordinated surveillance operation followed the vehicle and its occupants into Port Coquitlam, where police safely arrested both individuals after the vehicle was parked.
Pitt Meadows RCMP retained responsibility for the investigation and forwarded a report to Crown prosecutors recommending charges.
On Oct. 3, the BC Prosecution Service approved a charge of possession of stolen property against Leggatt.
Four days later, on Oct. 7, prosecutors approved three additional charges: possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, intimidation by threats or violence, and assault with a weapon.
Leggatt remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing, according to police.
The woman who was arrested alongside him has been released on an undertaking with a future court date. No charges have been laid against her at this time.
Pitt Meadows RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sgt. Michelle Luca credited cooperation between the participating police agencies for bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.
“The coordinated efforts of the BC Highway Patrol, Maple Ridge RCMP, Coquitlam RCMP, LMD IPDS, and Pitt Meadows RCMP resulted in the safe arrest of these individuals while minimizing any risk to the public,” Luca said. “This underscores the importance of information sharing and coordination between jurisdictions, as investigations frequently extend beyond the boundaries of a single community.”
Police did not disclose the nature of the weapon allegedly involved or provide further details about the original theft-related incident.
The allegations against Leggatt have not been proven in court.
