A Squamish man is facing charges after the discovery of explosives stored in a shed at Squamish United Church on Fourth Avenue.Neil Mattson, 41, was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday (Feb. 22). The North Vancouver court docket indicated the Tuesday hearing centred on a total of eight charges.
The RCMP and Crown Counsel allege Mattson stole explosives and had unlawful possession of the explosives.
Along with the explosives and theft allegations, Mattson is accused of altering a vehicle identification number and driving while suspended.
The most recent charges filed against him will be the subject of discussion at a second hearing set for March 8.
Two additional charges on the court docket on Tuesday were older matters started previously and unrelated to the charges laid last week. One of the charges falls under the Motor Vehicle Act and the other charge relates to an alleged assault. The two unrelated charges will be up for discussion at a hearing scheduled for Tuesday (Mar. 1).
A substantial amount of explosive material and related accessories were stolen from the Sea to Sky University (SSU) site last month. The explosives were reported missing on Monday, Jan. 31. SSU construction workers reported the theft and told police the explosives and related accessories were stolen some time between 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 and 6:40 a.m. the following Monday.
Cpl. Dave Ritchie reported this week the thief or thieves gained access to the materials by using a cutting torch to get into a magazine shed.
Ritchie also noted this week there were explosives thefts late last year on Finch Drive and at Mile 52 of the CN rail line.
The Finch Drive theft was reported on Nov. 10 and the complainant said the theft took place at some point in the previous two weeks.
The theft from the railway took place in the early morning hours of Nov. 19. Ritchie said the explosives taken from the Paradise Valley were stolen from a location at or near the point where the Upper Cheakamus Valley Road dead-ends.
A significant explosion was reported Feb. 4 in the area of the Youth Centre at Carson Place. Many calls were placed to the 911 emergency line to report the blast. Police discovered a cavity in the road behind the Youth Centre.
Experts were brought in to examine the cavity and determine what type of explosive was used to create the hole. Ritchie said at the time he was confident the experts would be able to determine whether the explosives used to cause the blast near the Youth Centre were the same explosives stolen from the SSU site.
Either the investigation into the blast is ongoing or the investigation is complete but police have not released the results.
Following the discovery of the explosives on Feb. 17, S/Sgt. Mark Hennigar of the Squamish RCMP reported through a news release that the RCMP came across the explosives in a shed.
"RCMP Explosives Detection Unit attended the scene with investigators and removed a quantity of commercial explosives that Squamish RCMP believed to be missing inventory from earlier thefts of explosives in the Squamish area," Hennigar wrote.
Police shut down a large area around the church shed late in the afternoon of Feb. 17 with help from the Squamish Nation Peacekeepers and Squamish Fire Rescue. The block around Fourth Avenue was cordoned off well into the evening.
"Police were led to an unsecured shed outside the United Church on Fourth Avenue and discovered the explosives that had been moved to that location by, at this time, unknown person(s)," Ritchie reported.
Ritchie said the type of explosives and the quantity recovered is not available for release at this time.
Sgt. Colin Worth issued a news release earlier in the week to announce the charges against Mattson.
"Squamish RCMP believe that this seizure constitutes the substantial recovery of the explosives stolen in January from the Sea to Sky University construction site," Worth reported. "The investigation into these thefts continues.
"Squamish RCMP continue to work with Natural Resources Canada, the federal department responsible for magazine compliance, to ensure that construction personnel throughout the Sea to Sky area maintain and secure magazines in accordance with the law," Worth wrote.
