Update: On Wednesday, April 1, Saanich Police announced an arrest had been made in connection to these arsons. The suspect is a 26-year-old man who recently moved to Victoria from Calgary and is known to police.
In the early hours of Monday, March 30, police and fire personnel responded to a series of fires on and near Camosun’s Lansdowne campus. The fires are being treated as arson, according to a Saanich Police press release. While there were multiple fires—including trashcans that were set ablaze—the most substantial one occurred in the maintenance compound of the Lansdowne campus. It involved three vehicles, and there was a small amount of damage to a building.
Camosun College executive director of communications Rodney Porter says the damage to college property was “in the thousands.” A small utility vehicle, a dump truck, and a pick-up truck were also affected.
“The college is cooperating with police investigation,” says Porter, who says the affected grounds maintenance building was unattended at the time.
Porter says the college’s Facilities services crew is looking into the details of the damage, and will be getting numbers evaluated by appraisers.
“I think it would be fair to say that the damage is significant in cost,” says Porter.
There were also reports of fires near Lansdowne Middle School.
Police are asking members of the public in the Camosun College, North Dairy, and Lansdowne area to review any footage that might have been captured through dashcams, security cameras, doorbells, or any other recording devices.
Anyone with information can email chorsley@saanichpolice.ca, citing file number SPD 20-6885 OBPD 20-961.