A suspect has been arrested after a string of fires in the Greater Victoria area.
On the evening of Sunday, August 27th, VicPD made an arrest and believe their suspect is the source of four notable fires set throughout Victoria and Saanich.
The man they arrested is 42-year-old Edwin Singh, who police apprehended after a lengthy investigation by the Major Crime Unit (MCU).
Singh is being charged with four counts of arson for the following incidents:
The first alleged arson occurred on June 23rd in the 2500-block Government Street.
A fire caused significant damage to a vehicle at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car in the 2500-block of Government Street.
When the investigation into this fire was launched, VicPD were investigating three total fires that occurred in close proximity to one another as arson.
Police say an officer who was driving by noticed the fire and was able to put it out.
The second blaze Singh is being charged with was the first of two on July 12th. This one was in the 2300-block Government Street.
A fire was set to cleaning supplies that were located in the loading dock of Acme Cleaning Supplies.
Just 40 minutes after the Victoria Fire Department had extinguished this small fire, they responded to another fire that Singh is being charged with at Three Points Motors.
Firefighters and police didn’t even get to rest after extinguishing the fire at Acme before moving to the 2500-block Government Street, just two blocks from where they had been.
A Mercedes Benz was lit on fire outside Three Points Motors, where it burned hot and fast. The fire also damaged another nearby vehicle that was for sale.
Police insist another fire in the 700-block Tolmie Avenue of Saanich on August 16th, was connected to the other blazes.
The fourth fire Singh is being charged with involved Items in a loading zone area that were set on fire.
Police say that no one was injured in any of these fires; however, they resulted in significant damage to property.
Related:
- Blaze that destroyed Ricky’s All Day Grill determined to be arson: VicPD
- Investigation underway into second major fire near downtown Victoria
- Fire that destroyed heritage building in Victoria deemed suspicious
- Fire at Government Street car dealership being investigated as ‘suspicious’
Notably, there were several other fires set in downtown Victoria that Singh is not being charged with, the largest being the Ricky’s All Day Grill on June 16th and a heritage home that was completely destroyed in the 2500-block of Government Street on July 2nd.
VicPD say that any further details about this investigation cannot be shared at this time because the matter is now before the courts.
