POLICE have released video of a man allegedly setting fire to the home of a former West Vancouver police chief earlier this year.
The security footage, published Friday, shows the unidentified suspect pouring liquid from a jerry can on the outside of the house in the 1000-block of Lawson Avenue in the early hours of Jan. 13 and lighting it.
The resulting fire, which caused extensive damage to the home and sent one person to hospital, was widely reported at the time, but until now no images had been made public.
"The video is quite good quality," said Sgt. Peter Thiessen, a spokesman for the RCMP in a release. "We are hopeful someone will recognize this male suspect."
Until about two weeks before the fire, the home had belonged to former West Vancouver chief constable Scott Armstrong, who headed the WVPD from February to December 2006.
Investigators have concluded the arson was linked to a series of 14 violent Lower Mainland incidents that unfolded in recent months, including shootings and other arsons, that all targeted people with a connection to the Justice Institute of B.C., which trains police and other emergency personnel.
Investigators say they have identified several suspects in the larger case.
jweldon@nsnews.com
