Man arrested after stolen vehicle drives through Edson, Alta. building

Edson RCMP are investigating after a stolen vehicle crashedthrough the doors of the Alberta town's provincial building on Saturday morning.

A man stole a vehicle from the ATCOElectric lot next door, drove through the fence, then through the east entrance of the provincial building,RCMP said in a news release Saturday night.The vehicle went through the building, exiting through the west doors.

Nobody was inside at the time, saidCpl.MarciaMcDermott.

Anti-Semiticmessages were written throughout the building, which is home to the town's courthouse, police said. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime,McDermott said.

The suspect fled the scene.

Hewas taken into custody just after 11 a.m., about an hour and a half after police received a complaint of extensive damage to the building.Numerous charges are pending.

Edson is about 200 kilometres west of Edmonton.