| Quality Used Car Wholesalers, located at 31 Toro Rd. Photo Courtesy Google Maps. |
By Melissa Hayes
Toronto, Ontario — August 11, 2014 – As many as eight vehicles were severely damaged in an early morning act of suspected arson at a wholesale lot in the city’s north end.
Edward, the owner of Quality Used Car Wholesalers, located at 31 Toro Rd., caught the incident–which led to a two-alarm blaze, completely destroying four cars and affecting a handful of others–on video. “We have cameras all around the building, we saw how it happened,” he says. “Somebody, from the next door driveway, threw a gasoline cocktail into one of the cars.”
Of the vehicles harmed by the suspicious fire, Edward says customers’ cars, and not inventory, were casualties of the flames. “I contacted the owners, a couple of them already came in,” he says. “I guess they’re going to have to contact their insurance companies.”
Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu says police are considering a connection to a similiar incident that happened Saturday night in a residential area just five kilometres away, near the intersection of Jane and Wilson. Three cars were set afire while parked on separate streets.
“Police are currently investigating to see if there is a link, as these are two occurences, involving fire and vehicles, happening at night in the same area of the city,” she says.
Sidhu advises businesses and residents to use crime prevention techniques to avoid being targeted. “Make sure your vehicles are locked, park them in your garage, and if possible, set up a surveillance camera and have lighting on.”
With the investigation ongoing, Edward has no clear answers as to what the motive was.”This used to be a quiet neighbourhood,” he says. “It’s crazy, I don’t even know why this happened. But thank god that the building wasn’t damaged.”
Police are urging the public to come forward with any information they may have pertaining to the case.
See below for video coverage, reported by 680News.
