Four separate fires were set in Woodstock early Tuesday morning – and police believe they may be connected to eight others from the past two months.
Most of the fires have involved garbage or other forms of waste.
In the last few weeks, the culprits – if they’re the same people – appear to have stepped up their game.
In one case last week, fire was set inside a parked vehicle.
“It could have been an explosion … if the car caught fire,” Woodstock Police Const. Nikki VanLeeuwen said Wednesday.
The following day, lawn chairs and cushions were set aflame outside two south-side homes.
After that, no fires were reported for several days.
That streak came to an end Tuesday, with four fires in a 90-minute span, all in the same neighbourhood, causing about $120 worth of damage.
Adrienne Kielesinski’s recycling bin was among the items targeted.
“All we saw was this huge ball of fire, and lots of smoke to go with it,” she said.
Police say they’ve been given a description for one suspect. He’s said to be a young man with shaggy red hair, and it’s not clear how many of the fires he may be connected to.
“Our real concern is the escalation,” VanLeeuwen said.
Included in the dozen fires under investigation is the one that affected Huron Park Baptist Church last month.
That fire caused an estimated $30,000 in damage.
