Police don’t know why a person set a car ablaze in a Richmond Hill driveway earlier this month, in an incident that was captured on video and shows the suspect pouring a liquid on the car before it’s engulfed in flames.
York Regional Police issued a news release Tuesday about the arson, which occurred early on Saturday, June 10 on Estoril Street in the area of Berwick Crescent and 16th Avenue, east of Yonge Street.
Police said emergency crews responded to a home at around 1:15 a.m.
Three women were asleep in the home, when one of them heard a noise coming from outside, police said.
“When she opened the garage door, she saw her silver Subaru Crosstrek fully engulfed in flames in the driveway,” the release said.
Firefighters responded and the blaze was extinguished. It was contained to the vehicle and no injuries were reported, police said.
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“Investigators reviewed video surveillance and observed a lone male suspect pour liquid over the vehicle before setting it alight and running northbound on Estoril Street,” the release said.
Investigators released surveillance video and also appealed for anyone with additional footage from the Berwick Crescent and 16th Avenue area around the time of the incident to come forward.
Police said the suspect had a medium build and was wearing a hooded jacket or vest with different coloured long sleeves, dark pants and white running shoes.
‘We don’t really know’ what motive was: police
Const. Lisa Moskaluk told Global News that officers aren’t sure why the fire was set.
“We don’t really know at this point what the motive might have been,” she said.
“But it does appear to be an isolated incident, just for the simple fact that there haven’t been really a series or even another type of arson in that area in I would say, over the last month.”
When asked if police would call the incident targeted, Moskaluk said it’s for the investigators to determine, but right now “it’s hard to say.”
“It doesn’t appear to be random, but at the same time, we can’t say that it’s specifically targeted to any individual,” she said.
She said the women who were in the home at the time all provided statements, but there is still no detailed suspect information, which is why officers are looking for possible witnesses who may have noticed something suspicious in the area or anyone with information.
Moskaluk said the information provided by the women didn’t lead investigators to a possible motive.
“We’re looking for anyone that might be able to help fill in those blanks,” she said.
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