Norfolk Police Set Up Task Force To Tackle Spike in Arsons

Norfolk County’s Top Cop Has Confirmed What Many Residents have feared for months – Someone is deliberately Setting Fires in the Rural Community.

Content

Content

Recounded Videos

Content

“In Our Community, we do have a very, very intensive and – as we speak – nail investigation into multiple arsons that have occurred in our country,” Insp. Andrew Tait Told Members of Norfolk’s Oppa Detachment Board at Wednesday’s meeting.

Tait Said the Period from Octuber to December Saw an Overall Decline in Property Crimes in Norfolk.

“Except for one (Category),” He Said. “We have a spike with arson.”

Police Are Investigating 13 Different Incidents of Arson Sale October, and Tait Said the Trend has “Picked Up in recent months,” with oven suspicious feires this week alone. Some of the incidents have multiple structures Catch Fire.

The Unknown Culprit or Culprits Have Thus Far Targeted Five Abandoned Houses and 12 Empty Barns or Outbuildings in Sparsly Populated Rural Areas, Though A Working Gas Station was torch overnight on tuesday and the flames spread to an attached residence.

Content

Everyone Inside Escaped Safely.

“These are very, very concerning to anybody. That’s an understament, ”said Said.

“Someone Might Say, Well, It’s Property Damage. Yes, but you may put Human Beings in a position to respond and deal with these Fires, and you are putting them at risk. That Really Makes Me Extremely concerned. ”

That concerned is shared Among Residents, Said Coun. Linda Vandendriessche, Whose Langton-Area Ward is Largely Agricultural.

“A Lot of the Rural Community Are Quite concerned, Becaus we have a lot of outbuildings,” She Said During the meeting.

“Sometimes they look like they not be occupied or being use, but there’s a real fear and risk there.

Tait Said the Rash of Fires Are Top of Mind at the detachment and “a lot of resources” have been dedicated to catching whover is responsible.

Content

OPP SET UP A Joint Task Force Involving Norfolk’s Crime Unit, The Fire Department and Specialists from Within Opp with “Heightned Investigative Skill” to assist local police.

The Fire Department “Takes The Lead” With Fire Investigations, Tait Explained – and then Brings in Opp and Possible the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, If Something Seems Suspicious.

Thus far detectives have few clues to go on.

A Red or Burgundy Ford Crew-Cab Pickup was spoted Near the scene of a house Fire in Langton on Nov. 27. And on Tuesday, a Witness Saw a Person of Interest Running from the scene of the Gas Station Fire.

Police Described the Person Running on Highway 24 as a White Male, Approximataly 30 Years Old with a “Very Thin” Build, Wearing A Hoodie and Face Covering.

Content

An OPP Spokesperson Stopped Short of Calling the Unknown Man a Suspect, Telling the spectator he is “someone we would like to assist in clarifying the circumstances.”

Coun. Kim Huffman-The Police Board Chair Whose Waterford-Area Ward has recently been the site of numerous suspicicious Fires-Said Residents Are on Edge.

“We at a very precarious Spot in our country in terms of the Nail Fire Issue. I unnderstand tODAY that there are three more, “Huffman Said, Refronting to a busy Tuesday night that Saw first breathing extinguish Fires at an abandoned house and empty barn, Along with the Gas Station.

Noting the “pattern” of Fires in Rural Areas, Vandendriessche Asked If More Police Cruisers Could Get On The Roads to Deter the Suspsed Arsonist.

Content

“Is there any Thoughts of Increased Patrolling in the Rural Areas, Up and Down the Concessions, So that sometimes knows there’s Police Officers out there?” She Asked.

Tait Declined to Get Into What He Called “Investigative Specifics” But Said the Department is Tapping Analytical Resources to “Identify patterns” and deploy resources where they may have the Highest Deterient Effect, Rather Than Just Having Office “Drive Around the Back Roads.

The Inspector Stéséd the Spate of Arson is a top Priority for his Department and the Interangency Task Force Set Up to Stop It.

“The Sooner we can resolve this for Everybody, The Better,” Tait Said.

JP Antonacci is a local journalism initiative reporter based at the hamilton spectator. The Initiative is Funded by the Government of Canada.

Content