Police are investigating a number of recent fires that appear to have been deliberately set in the Riley Park neighbourhood.

Five fires were lit on Sunday, July 28th, between 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.:

  • 10th Avenue near Cambie Street,
  • 26th Avenue near Columbia
  • Quebec Street near 32nd Avenue
  • Ontario and 30th Avenue
  • 39th Avenue near Sophia Street

They were relatively small and caused minimal or no damage.

Investigators have spoken with witnesses who provided police with a description of two white men in their 20s with skateboards seen leaving the area of one of the fires. One of the men had longer, wavy dark brown hair and was wearing a blue t-shirt and beige shorts

Police attend many intentionally lit fires that occur as a result of someone igniting debris that is left outside of garages and homes. The danger of deliberately set fires increases in the summer with warm, dry weather.

There are several things that can be done to help prevent you from becoming the victim of arson this summer:

  • report all suspicious activity or people to police immediately through 9-1-1
  • install motion detector lights at the rear of your home
  • keep your yard and laneway tidy
  • don’t put your garbage or recycling containers out until the morning of pick-up
  • don’t leave or store old mattresses and furniture in your backyard, carport or laneway
  • dispose of garden trimmings promptly
  • store all flammable materials safely and out of sight

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Vancouver Police Robbery / Assault / Arson Unit at (604) 717-2541.