Police Investigating Arson Attack on Houses in Southern Ontario

York Regional Police are seeking a pair of suspects after two homes were set ablaze in a targeted arson attack in King Township on Feb. 15, 2025. Handout photo

York Regional Police are requesting assistance from the public in identifying two suspects following a targeted arson attack that destroyed two homes in a township north of Toronto.

Officers were dispatched to a fire on Feb. 15 at 6:30 a.m. near 15^th Sideroad and Charles Baker Drive in King Township, where they discovered two under-construction homes consumed by flames in a newly developed residential area, police said in a press release.

Both residences were vacant at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

Video footage from the area released by police captured two males arriving in a newer-model grey Dodge Durango. Both men exited the vehicle before retrieving jerry cans from the trunk.

The suspects targeted two houses, setting them ablaze before making their escape, heading east on Bud Willmot Way.

The Durango is thought to be a model from the 2021 to 2024 range, possibly an SRT edition. It features a matte grey finish with black alloy rims, a hood air-intake vent, and a sunroof, police said.

York Regional Police are looking for this Dodge Durango after two homes were set on fire Feb. 15, 2025, in a targeted arson attack in King Township. Handout photo

Both male suspects were dressed in black from head to foot and were wearing face masks. One carried a red jerry can, the other carried a yellow can.

“Investigators believe this is a targeted incident and are appealing to anyone who may have information or video from the area to come forward,” police said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the No. 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau, call Crime Stoppers, or leave an anonymous tip online.

The York Regional Police Crime Trends Dashboard for King Township doesn’t contain stats on arson, but shows the area has seen an 11 percent increase in residential break and enters over the past year, while commercial break-ins are up 50 percent.

There were ​​1,479 residential break and enters in 2024 and 923 break-ins at area businesses as well as 486 robberies and 746 incidents of theft over $5,000.