Investigators from the York Regional Police are on a mission to track down the culprits behind a series of arson attacks aimed at a Richmond Hill business.
The first incident unfolded on the early morning of August 19, around 5:15 a.m., as a black Honda Accord pulled up to a plaza near Leslie Street and East Wilmot Street. Two individuals disembarked from the vehicle, with one smashing the front door of a commercial establishment and entering with a red jerry can. Subsequently, a quick escape was made by the suspect, leading to an explosive outcome and bright red flames. The duo fled the scene in the stolen sedan, traced back to a theft in Toronto.
Following a similar pattern, another attack occurred on August 21 at roughly 5:20 a.m. Two suspects arrived at the plaza in a dark-colored SUV. One of them approached the business carrying a red jerry can, doused gasoline at the entrance, and set it ablaze before fleeing in the stolen SUV, also linked to a Toronto theft.
The most recent incident happened on August 26 at 3:15 a.m. Three suspects arrived at the same plaza in a black SUV, repeating the destructive act by igniting a fire within the business after breaking the front window with jerry cans. The trio escaped the scene in the SUV, discovered to have stolen license plates from a vehicle in Ajax.
Video footage of the third incident has been shared by the authorities as they continue their investigation. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in any of the incidents as the business was unoccupied during the attacks.
