A Victoria man who was arrested at Camosun’s Interurban campus early Sunday morning went to court yesterday. Aaron Vince Raschke has been charged with three counts of break and enter with intent to commit offense, one count of mischief under $5,000, one count of theft under $5,000, and five counts of arson damaging property. He remains in custody at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre.
Raschke began his weekend vandalism spree at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE), where windows were smashed and he broke in and started fires. He then went to the Centre for Business and Access (CBA), the Centre for Trade Education and Innovation (CTEI), and the Helmut Huber annex, all of which also had damage from fire and water from the fire sprinklers. Because of this, the buildings were closed early this week and classes cancelled. On Tuesday, November 28, the college said in a press release that their environmental consultants said that all the buildings tested well below WorkSafe BC exposure limits; classes resumed on Wednesday, November 28.
Raschke is known to police and has a criminal record. A judge found him guilty of possessing stolen property under $5,000 in 2012.
Camosun vice president of student experience Joan Yates says the college doesn’t yet know the total value of property that was damaged.
Nexus has contacted PISE and Saanich Police and we will continue to post updates to this story as they become available.
Raschke will appear by video in Victoria court at 9:30 am on Monday, December 3, and has another court appearance at 2 pm on Monday, January 7, 2019.