Three teenagers have been arrested following a vicious assault that almost caused a Surrey, B.C. homeowner to lose an eye Friday night.
Insp. Randall Marquardt said the attack occurred at around 11 p.m. near Crescent Beach when a man in his 40s saw some kids stealing wood from his yard.
He chased the youths, who eventually stopped to retaliate.
"It sounds like the first strike was with one of the pieces of wood that they removed from this gentleman's property," Marquardt said.
"We're at the point now where this male is in hospital with a broken nose, broken jaw and… may possibly lose his eye or lose vision in his eye."
The attack could have been worse, Marquardt added, had some security guards from a nearby movie set not scared the assailants off.
Police searched the area and located three young men, all between the ages of 15 and 17. The teens were taken into custody but no charges have been laid.
Marquardt said kids often light bonfires and drink on the beach, but violence is usually not a problem.
He could not say whether the youths arrested are known to police, or had been drinking that night.