Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»police and fire departments are warning homeowners to be vigilant after a two-month spate of pre-dawn vandalism and small fires in the Shaughnessy and South Granville area.
Charles Mulder, a firefighter with Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Fire and Rescue Service, said he couldn't give the exact number of incidents because officials aren't sure if all the episodes are related. But Mulder said fires have been lit in containers such as blue boxes in the early morning hours.
"We're afraid it will escalate into something else-that's our main issue," he said, adding, "They've all been relatively small blazes."
The warning was issued because the problem continues.
"We're after witnesses. We're hoping the public will help us with it-see something and call 911," Mulder said.
Incidents have occurred on the 1600 block of Angus Drive, the 1500 block of Marpole Avenue, the 3600 block of Alexandra Street, the 1500 block of Laurier Avenue and south along Granville Street between 33rd and 57th, according to Const. Lindsey Houghton, spokesperson for the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Police Department.
"There haven't been many fires, there have been more incidents of vandalism- broken windows on cars and homes, garbage turned over. It's not anything unusual or extraordinary, but it's something that's been happening the same time as these fires and the fires have been garbage and papers and that sort of thing," Houghton said.
"It's the warning that fire and police put out once in a while about people not leaving their garbage and flammables out around their house. The last thing we want is something serious to happen."
No one has witnessed damage being done or fires being set, so the police don't have suspects or descriptions of possible troublemakers. Like Mulder, Houghton is concerned what could occur if the problem continues.
"[It's] not only the escalation, but the potential for some very serious property damage or for somebody to be seriously injured or to lose their life," he said.
In late June, police issued a warning about a rash of fires in the Dunbar area from Dunbar Street to Blenheim, between West 12th and 31st avenues. In those cases, investigators had reports that voices of youth travelling to the area were heard prior to the fires.
Houghton said there have been no more fires in Dunbar since that warning was issued.
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