Suspected arsonist setting fire to barns and sheds

[projekktor id=’18410′]
With a suspected arsonist setting barns and sheds ablaze in West Lincoln and East Hamilton, residents have had a lot of sleepless nights. There have now been ten fires in a matter of months, including four on Easter weekend. Police are asking the public to help put the fire bug behind bars.

West Lincoln cattle farmer Andy Klodnicki was so worried about the rash of suspicious fires, he recently went to check on his insurance policy. “And i actually predicted to the insurance guy about two weeks ago, I told him, I know the
next barn that’s going to go – it’s right by the road next to us.” And this past Easter weekend, that barn down the road was torched – totally destroyed – along with two other abandoned buildings in rural Hamilton the same weekend. At the time, police said they received reports of two suspicious vehicles, a pickup and an SUV. But police don’t want the public to develop tunnel vision based on the description of one or two vehicles – they would like people to report any suspicious activity.

Andy Klodnicki called police about a strange car. “You see people stop in front of your place, drive down to the next place, and drive the road and make notes. You kind of say ‘this is suspicious’.”

Police are encouraging residents to make those calls. “If they see those things, call police so we can come out and identify who’s there…why the vehicle is parked at the side of the road. If there’s suspicious behavior, we want to know about it.” says Niagara Regional Police Constable Phil Gavin.

But police are also urging people to look further than just what’s going on out their front door – they’re asking them to search their farm buildings as well. “Go take a look at those from time to time – look at them and see if there’s any suspicious activity that’s
around there.”

Up to now, this arsonist has primarily been targeting abandoned buildings. But residents around East Hamilton and West Lincoln are worried about the safety of their livestock and farm animals as well.