Witnesses sought to suspicious fires

ACT Policing, ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Rural Fire Service have joined forces in urging anyone with information relating to suspiciously lit fires to come forward and assist police with their investigations.

ACT Policing is investigating a number of suspicious fires that were identified in the North of Canberra from 23 April to 28 April 2016:

  • About 12:00pm on Saturday, 23 April 2016, ACT Fire & Rescue and Police attended the western side of Mt Ainslie, in relation to a number of small fires throughout the area which were extinguished.
    • Police believe a person of interest may have walked along fire tracks which run behind the vicinity of Ainslie Village, Canning Street, Winnecke Street and Duffy Street between 11.00am and 1.00pm.
  • About 5.00pm on Sunday, 24 April, ACT Fire & Rescue responded to a fire which was burning in the pines at the rear of Albert Hall in Yarralumla.
    • The public are asked to report any suspicious behavior they may have been noticed in the vicinity between 4.00pm and 6.00pm.
  • About 3:00pm on Tuesday, 26 April, ACT Fire & Rescue contacted police to report a number of separate grass fires burning along Ginninderra Drive, Kaleen that were later deemed to be suspicious.
    • Police believe a person of interest may have walked northwest on Gininderra Drive along the roadside easement towards Belconnen between 2.00pm and 4.00pm.
  • On Wednesday, 27 April, Police and ACT Fire & Rescue responded to fires on Black Mountain and were forced to evacuate Black Mountain Tower and vehicles from the mountain, as a safety precaution.
    • A person of interest may have walked along Parkes Way and subsequently entered the Black Mountain bushland between the hours of 2.00pm and 4.00pm.
    • The person of interest is described as approximately 160 to 170cm (5’2” to 5’7”) tall, medium build, fair complexion, dark hair, dark beard, with dark track pants and dark top.

“Deliberate lighting of bushfires will not be tolerated and we take this very seriously,” Superintendent North District Cath Grassick said. 

“Members of the community are often the first to notice suspicious behaviour or activity in their neighborhood, so we need their help to monitor open areas such as parks or grasslands across the ACT.

“Anyone who sees any suspicious behaviour or activity in grassland areas is urged to contact ACT Policing Operations immediately on 131 444.”

Police are also urging anyone who may have any information that could assist police to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

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