Two sets of intoxicated daredevils were arrested after climbing a 27-metre-high construction crane at West Queens Road overnight on Thursday.
At 11:30 p.m., a passerby observed two males in their early 20s perched at the top of the crane at the site of the former William Griffin Recreation Centre, which is being redeveloped.
The men were filming as they scaled to the top of the tower, according to North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Cpl. Richard De Jong. “They weren’t quiet about it so they drew attention to themselves.”
Police and District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services members arrived on the scene to talk the men down the crane. Police and firefighters returned to the site to rescue a group of four young males from the crane at around 2:30 a.m.
De Jong said charges of break and enter, trespass at night and mischief are being considered against the six males, all 21 years old, except for a 23-year-old, and all from the North Shore.
Investigators are working to determine if the two groups of males know each other. All were suspected of being impaired, said De Jong.
Entering closed construction sites not only puts trespassers at risk but also the workers who might not know their equipment has been tampered with, said De Jong.
Earlier this month two thrill-seekers filmed as they scaled an unfinished Vancouver skyscraper in a video that went viral online.
“It’s extremely dangerous, risk-taking behaviour, certainly spurred on by social media,” said De Jong.
In June, five people climbed a construction site crane at 13th Street and Lonsdale Avenue. Those individuals are scheduled to make a court appearance in August.
