Nanaimo RCMP seek person of interest in trio of suspicious fires

Police in Nanaimo are asking for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest in a string of suspicious fires.

Nanaimo RCMP say they’ve been called to three suspicious fires in the last week, and have linked the person of interest with two of them.

The third fire was about a six minute walk away from the other two, leading police to probe whether it is connected.

The first two fires both occurred between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 3 on the grounds of John Barsby High School.

One fire destroyed a garden shed, while the second was under a nearby pedestrian bridge.

1:51 Damaged Gastown building had fire days earlier

A witness was able to provide a description of someone seen near the shed fire as it started to smoulder, which police say matched a photo taken by firefighters of a person seen leaving the area of the second fire.

Police said the third fire happened overnight on Friday, April 9, when someone took a canvas car seat from the front porch of a home in the 700 block of Stirling Avenue, moved it to the back porch of a nearby home and set it alight.

The seat cover melted but the fire did not spread.

Investigators are looking for a Caucasian man with a slim build and long brown hair, wearing a blue ski jacket and track pants with a white stripe along the side.

Police say the man had a white scooter with him.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.