Video of two suspects lighting multiple vehicles on fire at a Markham, Ont. storage lot has been released by police.
In a news release issued Thursday, York Regional Police said they were called to the outdoor storage lot near Heritage and McCowan roads for a report of a fire on March 3, which is believed to have started at around 3 a.m. that morning.
In the surveillance video, two individuals are each seen holding gasoline containers and pouring what police say is an accelerant on a row of parked vehicles.
At one point in the video, one of the suspects lights what appears to be a cloth on fire, before throwing it over a fence to ignite the vehicles.
When that doesn’t work, the two suspects appear to pour the accelerant directly on a small flame under one of the vehicles, which causes the flames to erupt. One of the gas containers also ignites and is thrown over the fence, causing a chain reaction of burning cars.
There were no injuries, but police say 13 vehicles were heavily damaged in the fire which extinguished on its own.
A suspect vehicle, described by police as a dark, four-door sedan, is seen leaving the scene. It’s believed that the two suspects were accompanied by a third accomplice who drove the vehicle.
Police haven’t said what may have motivated the arson, but are asking anyone with information to contact investigators at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7541 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
