RCMP Probing Arson and Heavy Equipment Theft Near Prince George

Community Safety Alert: Rural Arson and Major Property Damage

Prince George RCMP are investigating a serious incident involving the theft and destruction of heavy equipment in a rural area northwest of the city. Nearly one million dollars in damage was caused after a stolen excavator was used to damage a rock truck at a mine site and was then found burning in a wooded area off Chief Lake Road.

On July 5, 2026, shortly after 10:00 a.m., frontline officers responded to a report of an excavator on fire in a heavily forested location near Chief Lake Road. The Chief Lake Volunteer Fire Department quickly arrived and acted to keep the blaze from spreading through the surrounding forest, reducing the risk of a larger wildfire and additional property damage.

Official RCMP Details

According to the official information from the Prince George RCMP, the following has been confirmed about the incident:

• On July 5, 2026, just after 10:00 a.m., police received a report of an excavator on fire in a heavily wooded area off Chief Lake Road.
• The Chief Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded promptly and worked to ensure the fire did not extend beyond the immediate area of the machine.
• Investigators determined the excavator had been stolen from a nearby mine site prior to being set on fire.
• Before the excavator was moved and burned, it was used in part to damage and destroy a rock truck at the same mine site.
• Combined losses to the affected company are estimated at close to one million dollars in damage.
• Police conducted a detailed search of the scene and surrounding area but did not locate any suspects nearby.
• Investigators currently believe that individuals from the local area may be responsible for the theft, damage, and arson.
• The Prince George RCMP Investigative Services Team has taken over conduct of this file, and the investigation is ongoing.

Request for Public Assistance

This incident involves targeted damage to industrial equipment in a rural location, similar in nature to other property and infrastructure crimes that can impact remote communities across Canada, from regions like Thomas Squinas Ranch 2A in British Columbia to other small resource-based areas nationwide.

Investigators are actively seeking tips from the public. While the official release does not list specific phone numbers in the text provided here, the RCMP has clearly requested that:

• Anyone who may know who is involved in this arson and theft, or who saw suspicious people or vehicles around Chief Lake Road or the nearby mine site on or before July 5, 2026, is urged to contact the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line.
• Those who wish to remain anonymous are encouraged to report information through Northern B.C. Crime Stoppers.

If you are in the Prince George or Chief Lake area and have dashcam footage, trail camera images, or other recordings from around the time of the incident, review them carefully and share any relevant material directly with police. Even details that seem minor may help investigators connect movements and vehicles to the crime.

Image From the Scene

The RCMP has released a photo of the heavily damaged excavator involved in this incident:

This image highlights the scale of destruction and the potential risk such acts pose to surrounding forest and nearby properties.

CrimeCanada.ca Safety Perspective

From the perspective of CrimeCanada.ca, this incident is a serious reminder of how rural property crime and arson can rapidly become a broader public safety threat for communities in British Columbia. The theft and deliberate destruction of industrial equipment not only causes major financial loss to local employers, but also increases the risk of wildfires, environmental damage, and threats to first responders working close to intense fires in remote locations.

We encourage residents in rural and resource areas to remain alert to unusual activity around mine sites, logging roads, and equipment yards. Practical safety steps include improving lighting and surveillance where possible, noting unfamiliar vehicles at odd hours, regularly checking on stored machinery, and promptly reporting suspicious behaviour to the RCMP or Crime Stoppers. Community cooperation is critical: a quick phone call about something that “doesn’t look right” can help prevent large-scale damage and support a safer environment for everyone who lives and works in these regions.

Official Source & Community Safety

This safety alert is based on an official release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). CrimeCanada.ca aggregates and analyzes this data to keep the british-columbia community informed, aware, and safe. We are an independent safety data aggregator and not the original creators of the underlying incident report.

Read the full official release here: RCMP Official Statement.