A Saanich real estate office suffered extensive damage Monday night when a driver plowed through a window while evading police and came to a stop inside the office.
Tony Zarsadias, co-owner of Condo Group Real Estate, said he got a call from the alarm company just before 10 p.m. letting him know that a motion detector had gone off in the office at the corner of Tillicum Road and the Trans-Canada Highway.
When Zarsadias arrived at the building, he saw an SUV parked inside his office. Police and firefighters were already at the scene.
The floor was littered with shattered glass and the office’s contents had been scattered.
“It’s quite a disaster,” Zarsadias said. “There’s a lot of destruction of our desks, computers, monitors. Everything is all destroyed.”
Firefighters put out a small fire before Zarsadias arrived, which left water damage.
He estimated the cost of the damage at about $100,000, and more to the building itself.
About a third of the office was damaged in the incident. Staff have continued with business as usual in the remaining areas.
“Everyone will be a little cosier than normal,” Zarsadias said. “It’s a disruption, but not the end of the world.”
Saanich police said an officer noticed the SUV speeding near Tennyson Avenue and Boleskine Avenue. The officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver accelerated and the officer stopped following due to potential risks.
Officers located the vehicle after it had crashed into the office. The driver had fled the scene and police have not been able to locate the person. They are trying to determine the driver’s identity.
Police have been trying to communicate with the vehicle’s registered owner.
