Police say they observed a person setting a fire early Wednesday, and the individual was subsequently arrested on suspicion of setting numerous other recent fires.
At about 1:50 a.m. Wednesday, officers were conducting surveillance in the 2900-block of Cedar Hill Road when they observed a suspect enter a B.C. Transit bus shelter, after which they saw flames. The suspect exited the shelter and left the area on foot.
Officers extinguished the fire and took the suspect into custody, where they were arrested in connection with that fire and previous ones.
It began with an arson at a construction site in the 1300-block of Hillside Avenue on March 5.
A person was captured on video lighting a fire at the site, damaging multiple portable toilets. Two days later, a second fire was set at the same construction site, damaging another portable toilet. That incident was also captured on video.
Officers identified the suspect, who had outstanding warrants for mischief.
Police are also investigating an arson that destroyed a rental truck in the 700-block of Topaz Avenue just after 11:20 p.m. on March 6. In that case, the truck was fully engulfed in flames and Victoria firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze before it could spread to a nearby building.
Sarah Stewart made a court appearance Wednesday charged with three counts of arson damaging property in connection with incidents on March 5, March 7, and March 8. Stewart is due to appear in court again on March 16, according to court records.
Police are asking anyone with information about any of these fires who has not yet spoken with an officer to call the Victoria Police Department report desk at 250-995-7654 extension 1, or report the information anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
