A series of small fires in Beacon Hill Park led to the arrest of a woman wanted in Duncan.
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Sunday (July 18), the Victoria Police Department responded to a report of a woman using a small torch to ignite the grass at Beacon Hill Park. Several bystanders were following the woman, extinguishing the fires before they could spread.
The first officer to respond found the woman near the intersections of Douglas and Simcoe streets. While attempting to arrest the woman, she fled to a nearby van, which she started and attempted to drive away in, according to a release from VicPD. At this point, the officer deployed pepper spray, forcing the woman out of the van, but she fled on foot.
The officer stopped the running van and called for backup.
Officers were then flagged down by a person on Douglas Street, who said a woman had broken into their suite, taken clothes from their closet and started a shower. Officers entered the suite in question and located the woman in the bathroom, who was then arrested without further incident.
In addition to her outstanding warrant from Duncan, recommended charges from the July 18 incident include arson, breaking and entering, attempted motor vehicle theft, flight from police and resisting arrest.
VicPD thanked the members of the public who extinguished the fires set in the park. They also asked anyone with additional information regarding the incident, contact VicPD at 250-995-7654, ext. 1, or report anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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