Kelowna RCMP asks public's help to identify arsonist

Kelowna RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance to help identify a suspect who’s image was captured on CCTV, moments after he allegedly lit a fire late Monday morning in Kelowna.

On September 25th, 2017 at 11 a.m., RCMP received several calls from the public, each to report witnessing a male allegedly igniting a fire at the corner of Springfield Road and Burtch Road in Kelowna. The suspect reportedly fled east along Springfield Road, until he cut through a business parking lot on the south side of the roadway and into an adjacent orchard.

The arson suspect was described to police as a Caucasian male, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and 180 lbs, with brown hair and a brown goatee. He was seen wearing a grey hoodie, dark coloured pants, dark running shoes and sunglasses while carrying a stick.

GIS investigators believe the nuisance fire may be related to a handful of other fires of a similar nature reported during the past couple weeks in Kelowna:

• On September 14th, shortly after 4 a.m., emergency crews responded to a report of a stack of wooden pallets on fire behind a business in the 1500 block of Gordon Drive. Damage to an adjacent duplex was sustained as a result of the blaze. A unidentified suspicious male was observed in the area prior to the fire.
• On September 19th, shortly before 3 a.m., RCMP were dispatched to assist the fire department who had responded to a pair of dumpster fires in the rear parking lot of a business located in the 1800 block of Baron Road.
• On September 21st, just before the noon hour, RCMP received a report of an apparent overnight arson discovered outside a business located in the 1500 block of Banks Road. The complainants suspected that the fire may have been lit by a transient individual and had since cleaned the scene.
• On September 25th, RCMP were made aware of suspect arson incident which occurred on September 21st, where a small amount of debris was allegedly lit on fire, on the sidewalk in front of a business located in the 2300 block of Highway 97 North. The small fire was easily extinguished by a passerby.

Anyone with any information on any of the above arsons is asked to contact the Cst. Kevin Hamilton of the Kelowna RCMP General Investigations Section (GIS) at 250-470-6302. Or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.