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Man held after fires in area of Camosun Lansdowne campus

A 26-year-old Calgary man who arrived in Victoria just last week has been arrested in connection with arson fires set early Monday in the area of Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus.

A 26-year-old Calgary man who arrived in Victoria just last week has been arrested in connection with arson fires set early Monday in the area of Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus.

Saanich police put together a description of a suspect that was sent to neighbouring police departments, resulting in a Victoria officer spotting a man just before noon Tuesday near Centennial Square and arresting him.

The man had had previous dealings with police since coming to the city.

“The nature and extent of damage of these deliberate fires was significant,” said Saanich police Const. Markus Anastasiades. “Detectives worked quickly to piece together the events before, during and after the fire to positively identify a suspect.”

He said Saanich police appreciated the quick actions of their Victoria counterparts.

The most serious of the Monday fires caused extensive damage to three vehicles stored in a maintenance compound at Camosun. There were also garbage-can fires in the 3100 block of Service Street, near Lansdowne Middle School.

— Times Colonist