VANCOUVER -- A series of suspicious fires have been set across Vancouver with the majority happening downtown, warns Vancouver police.
"From the beginning of March to the middle of May, we have seen an 83 per cent increase in arsons, when compared to the previous year," said Const. Tania Visintin in a news release.
"We don't want the community to be fearful, however, it is important for the public to be aware of the issue and notify police if they see suspicious activity."
Visintin said there have been several suspected arsons in April and luckily no one was hurt or lost their homes.
On April 6, police were called to East Vancouver where a blaze that started in a bin had reached into a nearby building, causing $1 million in fire, smoke and water damage.
A suspect was arrested in this incident and charges have been approved. The name of the suspect and charges have not yet been released.
In the same month, police were called to a hedge fire in Kerrisdale and a fire that was set at the back of a building next to a natural gas metre in South Vancouver.
"These are just a few examples of the arsons that police are investigating," said Visintin. "An act like this is extremely dangerous and reckless. Investigators are working hard to catch the person or people responsible."
Anyone with information about any of these arsons is asked to call investigators at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477. Police are asking the public to call 911 if they notice any suspicious activity.
