Man charged after 21 vehicles set on fire: police

The Winnipeg Police logo in seen in this file photo.

A 27-year-old Winnipeg man has been arrested after 21 vehicles were deliberately set on fire in the city over the past few weeks, police said.

On Sept. 1, Charleswood resident Ruxy Ditica woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a pop. She said it was a windy night, so she didn’t think much of it at first.

While feeding her two-month-old baby, she heard the noise again.

“The second pop, definitely, I thought, ‘Well, there’s too much, right?’ So, when I just opened my curtain, it was a blaze.”

Ditica called 911 upon seeing a car on fire, and then alerted her neighbours.

“She came and knocked on our door to move our car, because the [neighbour’s] vehicle was engulfed in flames,” said neighbour Tiffany Waytiuk.

Her family moved their car, which was near another car set ablaze in the 200 block of Lynbrook Drive.

Waytiuk later learned her truck was also a target, but it didn’t go up in flames like her neighbour’s.

Officers said the arsons happened in the St. James-Assiniboia and Assiniboine South neighbourhoods between Aug. 13 and Sept. 3.

At this point in the investigation, Const. Jay Murray said the arsons appear to be random.

“We’re not sure exactly what caused him to clue into certain vehicles or target others, but at this time investigators believe that none of these individuals were known to him.”

Police said all the fires were set overnight or in the early morning hours. The total damage is around $100,000.

“In each of these situations, this individual took a flammable item and put it up against the vehicle and lit it on fire. So, in some of the cases it didn’t cause a lot of damage, just minor damage, but in some cases it was substantial damage and resulted in the write-off of the vehicle,” said Murray.

On Sunday, police arrested 27-year-old Shawn Robert Hall. He was charged with 21 counts of arson causing damage to property and 21 counts of possession of incendiary material.

He remains in custody.

While an arrest has been made, Waytiuk is still taking precautions.

“Like keeping our windows open and the lights on. And, now you don’t feel as safe.”

-With files from CTV’s Stephanie Tsicos