Man, 43, arrested after string of Winnipeg arsons cause almost $30K in damage

A 43-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with three fires police say were deliberately set outside a grocery store and two retail businesses in Winnipeg.

Officers patrolling near Sheppard Street and Inkster Boulevard around midnight on Thursday wereflagged down by a person who said they believed a manresponsible for multiple arsons was in the area.

Officers found the man in the rear lane of a business. Police said he was arrested and a lighter was seized from him.

The major crimes unit took over the investigation, and officers now believe the man is connected with at least three arsons in Winnipeg that caused close to $30,000 in damage, police said in a news release Friday.

The first arson happened around 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 20, whena large industrial garbage bin was set on fire at the back of a retail business on the 2000 block of McPhillips Street, near Jefferson Avenue, causing about $500 in damage, police said.

On Sept. 21, a trailer was set on firearound 2:30 a.m. at the back of another retail business in the same area. That fire damaged the business and a neighbouring home's detached garage,causing $28,000 in damage, police said.

And around 11:30 p.m. onSept. 30, apile of scrap wood was set on fire at the back of a grocery store in the 600 block of Sheppard Street, nearInkster Boulevard, causing about $1,000 in damage.

No injuries were reported in any of the fires, police said.

The 43-year-old man from Winnipeg has been charged with four counts of arson causing damage to property, four counts of possession of an incendiary device and eight counts of failing to comply with conditions of a release order.