Printed Jan 24, 2025 • 3 minute learn
An deserted house on Concession 6, simply west of Angling Street close to Waterford, Ontario was the scene of one among three in a single day fires which have all been deemed suspicious by the Norfolk County Fireplace Division.. Picture by Brian Thompson /Brian Thompson/The Expositor
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Norfolk County’s prime cop has confirmed what many residents have feared for months — somebody is intentionally setting fires within the rural group.
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“In our community, we do have a very, very intensive and — as we speak — ongoing investigation into multiple arsons that have occurred in our county,” Insp. Andrew Tait advised members of Norfolk’s OPP detachment board at Wednesday’s assembly.
Tait stated the interval from October to December noticed an total decline in property crimes in Norfolk.
“Except for one (category),” he stated. “We have seen a spike with arson.”
Police are investigating 13 completely different incidents of arson since late October, and Tait stated the development has “picked up in recent months,” with 4 suspicious fires this week alone. A number of the incidents have seen a number of buildings catch fireplace.
The unknown wrongdoer or culprits have to this point focused 5 deserted homes and 12 empty barns or outbuildings in sparsely populated rural areas, although a working gasoline station was torched in a single day on Tuesday and the flames unfold to an connected occupied residence.
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Everybody inside escaped safely.
“These fires are very, very concerning to anybody. That’s an understatement,” Tait stated.
“Someone might say, well, it’s property damage. Yes, but you’re putting live human beings in a position to respond and deal with these fires, and you’re putting them at risk. That really makes me extremely concerned.”
That concern is shared amongst residents, stated Coun. Linda Vandendriessche, whose Langton-area ward is basically agricultural.
“A lot of the rural community are quite concerned, because we have a lot of outbuildings,” she stated in the course of the assembly.
“Sometimes they look like they’re not being occupied or being used, but there’s a real fear and risk there.”
Tait stated the rash of fires are prime of thoughts on the detachment and “a lot of resources” have been devoted to catching whoever is accountable.
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OPP arrange a joint job power involving Norfolk’s crime unit, the fireplace division and specialists from inside OPP with “heightened investigative skill” to help native police.
The fireplace division “takes the lead” with fireplace investigations, Tait defined — after which brings in OPP and probably the Ontario fireplace marshal’s workplace, if one thing appears suspicious.
To date detectives have few clues to go on.
A crimson or burgundy Ford crew-cab pickup was noticed close to the scene of a home fireplace in Langton on Nov. 27. And on Tuesday, a witness noticed an individual of curiosity operating from the scene of the gasoline station fireplace.
Police described the particular person operating on Freeway 24 as a white male, roughly 30 years outdated with a “very thin” construct, carrying a hoodie and face masking.
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An OPP spokesperson stopped in need of calling the unknown man a suspect, telling The Spectator he’s “someone we would like to locate to assist in clarifying the circumstances.”
Coun. Kim Huffman — the police board chair whose Waterford-area ward has lately been the positioning of quite a few suspicious fires — stated residents are on edge.
“We’re at a very precarious spot in our county in terms of the ongoing fire issue. I understand today that there are three more,” Huffman stated, referring to a busy Tuesday night time that noticed first responders extinguish fires at an deserted home and empty barn, together with the gasoline station.
Noting the “pattern” of fires in rural areas, Vandendriessche requested if extra police cruisers might get on the roads to discourage the suspected arsonist.
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“Is there any thoughts of increased patrolling in the rural areas, up and down the concessions, so that someone knows there’s police officers out there?” she requested.
Tait declined to get into what he known as “investigative specifics” however stated the division is tapping analytical sources to “identify patterns” and deploy sources the place they might have the best deterrent impact, slightly than simply having officers “drive around the back roads.”
The inspector confused the spate of arson is a prime precedence for his division and the interagency job power set as much as cease it.
“The sooner we can resolve this for everybody, the better,” Tait stated.
J.P. Antonacci is a Native Journalism Initiative Reporter primarily based on the Ontario Chronicle. The initiative is funded by the Authorities of Canada.
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