Two more tow truck arsons reported in Clarington, Oshawa

The rash of tow truck arsons across Durham Region continues with two more trucks torched over the weekend.

The latest blazes occurred in the wee hours of the morning on Sept. 24. Witnesses reported the first around 4:30 a.m. Middle Rd. and Northglen Blvd. in the north end of Bowmanville. According to Durham Regional Police, the white Hino truck was engulfed in flames when first responders arrived. However, Clarington Fire Services were able to control and extinguish the flames.

Minutes later, witnesses reported a second fire about 15 minutes away on Harmony Rd. and Taunton Rd. When the officers arrived at 4:35 a.m. they found another Hino ablaze. Oshawa Fire Services managed to get the fire out.

Police treated both incidents as arson but have not confirmed if they are related. This is the second batch of tow truck arsons in the Region this month. On Sept. 10, Durham Regional Police and Oshawa Fire Services responded to a fire on Capilano Cr. shortly after 3 a.m. That time they found a white Chevrolet tow truck ablaze. Oshawa Fire put it out.

The preceding Monday, Aug. 28, two other tow trucks were torched in Ajax. First responders first arrived at a blaze near Salem and Taunton Rds. around 10 p.m. A suspect was seen fleeing the scene but managed to evade capture. Police describe him as a tanned man in his mid-20s, standing 5-foot-11 to 6-foot tall.

Just a few hours later responders were called to another blaze in the the driveway of a home on Seggar Ave. near Rossland Rd. Nobody was reported injured in any of the fires and investigators are treating all of them as arson cases.

However, police have not confirmed any linkage between these events.

Anyone with information can call police at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5622 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).