Four arsonists sought for 'connected' torching of two Scarborough restaurants

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Investigators have now released images of four unidentified arsonists sought for torching two Indian restaurants in Scarborough in just over 24 hours in the spring.

Toronto Police say the first restaurant – Sha’az Indian Cuisine in the White Shield Plaza at Kennedy Rd. and Lawrence Ave. E. – was deliberately burned down around 2:45 a.m. on May 23.

In that incident, two masked males smashed their way into the restaurant through the glass front entrance and dumped an accelerant from a gas can in the dining room area before setting it ablaze.

It’s believed the culprits recorded cellphone video of their handiwork before fleeing the scene.

Employees were working in the back of the restaurant at the time had to run for their lives out the rear door.

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Fortunately, nobody was injured, but the restaurant was destroyed.

No suspect descriptions have been released in the wake of that fire.

Barely 24 hours later, just after 3:30 a.m. on May 24, a soon-to-be opened restaurant – reportedly owned by the same company that owns Sha’az Indian Cuisine – was burned down.

That restaurant was located in a plaza at 1190 Kennedy Rd., just north of Lawrence Ave. E. – less than 500 metres away from the White Shield Plaza fire.

Police say that arson – captured on video by a nearby security camera – saw two masked males smash their way into the front of the restaurant, douse the dining room with an accelerant from a gas can and set it ablaze.

Nobody else was inside at the time.

The arsonists, one of whom can be seen in a video recording the burning restaurant with a cellphone, fled that scene in an awaiting vehicle described by cops as a silver SUV, possibly a Honda CRV, with a purple light on the driver’s side of the dashboard.

The arsonists in that case are described as males with thin builds who were wearing dark-coloured clothing.

“Both fires are being investigated as suspected arsons,” Const. Laurie McCann said in a statement released Wednesday. “Investigators believe that the two incidents are connected.”

Police are hoping members of the public will recognize the firebugs in the images that have been released and come forward.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation, or the identity or whereabouts of the arsonists, is asked to call police at 416-808-4100 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

cdoucette@postmedia.com

@sundoucette