Police have arrested a woman they believe is connected to a suspicious fire at a farm residence last week.
On Sunday night, Aug. 25, fire crews and police received reports of a blaze in a home in the 9400 block of West Saanich Road. The fire had started at the side of the carport and had started to go up into the roof of the home when firefighters arrived and got it under control. A resident who was in the home at the time of the fire escaped unharmed.
At the time of the fire, police and the North Saanich Fire Department deemed it suspicious and an investigation revealed an earlier incident on Aug. 9 in which a threat was made to damage the farm by a farm employee.
On Aug. 28, Sidney North Saanich RCMP were called to investigate a theft of incendiary devices from a local business in Sidney.
With the assistance of Central Saanich Police, the woman was taken into custody in connection with that theft and is now facing charges of arson, uttering threats and theft under $5,000. Police are still investigating the incidents and other charges are pending.
The woman was remanded in custody by the courts for 30 days with a scheduled court appearance in Victoria on Sept. 26.