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Three teens arrested after climbing tower crane at Port Moody construction site

By Patrick Penner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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May 8, 2026

Image courtesy of Port Moody Police

Three teenage boys were arrested Thursday night after allegedly scaling an approximately 100-foot-tall tower crane at a Port Moody construction site.

According to a May 8 press release from the Port Moody Police Department, frontline officers were called just before 11 p.m. on May 7 to a fully fenced construction site in the 2300 block of St. Johns Street after reports that trespassers were actively climbing a tower crane.

Const. Sam Zacharias, Port Moody’s media officer, warned about the dangers and legal consequences of trespassing on active developments.

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“It should go without saying, these stunts are not only illegal but dangerous,” Zacharias said. “Construction sites like this one are live monitored around-the-clock with video and motion sensors – police will always be called in instances of trespassers.”

Officers arrived within minutes and observed the suspects already partway up the crane, according to the release.

The trio, all of whom are 16 years old, eventually surrendered and were arrested without incident.

They were later released to their guardians while investigators consider recommending charges, but police did not specify what potential charges could be laid.

Author

Patrick Penner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Having spent the first 20 years of his life in Port Moody, Patrick Penner has finally returned as a hometown reporter.

His youth was spent wiping out on snowboards, getting hit in the face with hockey pucks, and frolicking on boats in the Port Moody Arm.

After graduating Heritage Woods Secondary School, Penner wandered around aimlessly for a year before being given an ultimatum by loving, but concerned, parents: “rent or college.”

With that, he was off to the University of Victoria to wander slightly less aimlessly from book, to classroom, to beer, and back.

Penner achieved his undergraduate degree in 2017, majoring in political science and minoring in history.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, translating this newfound education into career opportunities proved somewhat challenging.

After working for a short time as a lowly grunt in various labour jobs, Penner’s fruitless drifting came to an end.

He decided it was time to hit the books again. This time, with focus.

Nine months later, Penner had received a certificate of journalism from Langara College and was awarded the Jeani Read-Michael Mercer Fellowship upon graduation.

When that scholarship led to a front page story in the Vancouver Sun, he knew he had found his calling.

Penner moved to Abbotsford to spend the next three years learning from grizzled reporters and editors at Black Press Media.

Assigned to the Mission Record as the city’s sole reporter, he developed a taste for investigative and civic reporting, eventually being nominated for the 2023 John Collison Investigative Journalism Award.

Unfortunately, dwindling resources and cutbacks in the community media sphere convinced Penner to seek out alternative ways to deliver the news.

When a position opened up at the Tri-Cities Dispatch, he knew it was time to jump ship and sail back home to beautiful Port Moody.