Residents shaken after large-scale police operation in Maple Ridge

Residents of Maple Ridge remained unsettled after a large-scale police operation unfolded Saturday, leaving residents wondering what had occurred in their community.

Helicopters, militarized police personnel, and dogs were seen working at several properties. Authorities made multiple arrests across the city, with operations concentrated near the Port Haney Wharf and Silver Valley areas. The Maple Ridge RCMP said on social media it was responding to several properties "in connection with an ongoing investigation" and that there was no risk to public safety.

Starting around 4:30 p.m., several residents posted on social media saying they heard large booms in the area. Residents who spoke with reporters on the condition of anonymity said authorities told them those were flash bangs or concussive grenades used to breach the buildings. "All of a sudden I hear, 'BOOM!' And it startled my cat," one local said. "And they're like, 'You can't come down here; even if you live down here, you can't come down here.' ... Police were flying around the area for a good four hours looking for somebody."

It is unclear how many buildings were targeted simultaneously, though CityNews observed at least two. A home on St. Anne Avenue could be seen with a plywood sheet where a door once stood; locals noted the home had been raided multiple times in recent years. At Lee Avenue and 227 Street, another house remained behind police tape with a hole in the door and a smashed window visible from the street.

Power went out in the area around the same time, though BC Hydro said the outage was unrelated to the police operation. There is still no word on the nature of the operation or whether anyone has been charged.