Porter Creek arson spree leads to arrests
A trio of arsons last weekend and on Monday have led to the arrests of three people and charges against a 19-year-old male.
A trio of arsons last weekend and on Monday have led to the arrests of three people and charges against a 19-year-old male.
The first incident occurred slightly after 1 a.m. Saturday at Jack Hulland Elementary School in Porter Creek.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing four suspects fleeing from the area after a dirt bike was set on fire.
The second incident occurred at 4:30 a.m., when a 1986 Chevrolet Nova was destroyed in a fire on Fir Street.
The third incident occurred at 2:50 a.m. Monday, when three teenagers were seen near a vehicle on fire. A nearby homeowner and other residents chased down the alleged perpetrators, who were then arrested.
The 19-year old is facing charges of arson, assault, possession of a controlled substance and failing to comply with conditions of an undertaking related to previous charges. His name has not been released.
The other two suspects arrested have not yet been charged.
Whitehorse RCMP Sgt. Don Rogers said it has yet to be determined whether the three events are linked, but investigators are looking into a possible connection with recent vandalism to the Guild Hall.
Comments (3)
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Thomas Brewer on Jul 13, 2011 at 1:57 am
NAME THEM!
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Concerned PC Resident on Jul 12, 2011 at 11:17 pm
All of these incidents happened inside a several block radius of where I live. My car has been broken into too many times to count and I watched the 'excitement' at Jack Hulland School from my yard.
Clearly, it's not just a problem in Porter Creek. The recent event at our Canada Games Center is another obvious example.
This is getting ridiculous. 'The Justice System' is far too concerned with protecting these young people and not concerned enough with protecting the citizens who pay their taxes and carry on like good little soldiers, as far as I am concerned.
Arson=Attempted Murder, in my not-so-humble opinion. Particularly in the case of the fire at the CGC. It's time for MORE than just a slap on the wrist and a plea to "make better choices next time." Treat these juvenile delinquents to a taste of punishment, and incarceration. How about putting them to work? They could do some serious community service, and learn some respect for the hard work that goes into having this wonderful Yukon Life; perhaps helping the Firesmart Crew clear out some brush in a designated area.
With regards to the "make the parents pay" option; while it would be satisfying in the short term, I don't see how it would help solve the real problem. I would wager that in most cases when kids are lighting things on fire and generally making a nuisance of themselves, a lack of direct parent-involvement and responsibility is also usually a factor. Why else would they be out at all hours of the night? I don't see how making the parents responsible will actually solve the problem; it would be like putting a band-aid on a shark bite.
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June Jackson on Jul 12, 2011 at 7:58 am
Hmmmm.. better start those neighborhood watches again.. these little fire bugs will be out and at it again in an hour and a half..