CALGARY- A Good Samaritan who was attacked while trying to make a citizen’s arrest says he’s disappointed with security at a northeast recreation centre.
Ed Smith works out regularly at the Bob Bahan Pool and Fitness Centre, which is where he was back in December when a man caught a teenager breaking into his locker in the men’s change room. Smith rushed to help, grabbing onto the offender while the other man ran for help.
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That’s when the teen whipped out pepper spray, and aimed it at Smith.
“It was getting hard to breathe, and I was burning so I just let him go,” he remembers.
The teen ran away before help arrived. Smith says that highlights a lack of security at the facility, especially in the evening.
“90 per cent of the time there’s no one at front. So how is that going to stop anybody from coming in and doing the same thing all over again?”
The city says it has since installed free wallet lockers at the centre, and is doing a better job of patrolling change rooms and staffing reception.
Calgary Police are now going over surveillance video of the incident, and say there’s a good chance they’ll make an arrest.
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