Sunday, June 14, 2026
ADVT 
National

Vancouver Police release video showing suspect in synagogue arson

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 Jun, 2024 11:38 AM
  • Vancouver Police release video showing suspect in synagogue arson

Police in Vancouver have released video showing a man who is believed to have set fire to the front entrance of a synagogue last month in the hope that someone may recognize the suspect. 

The security video shows a man wearing a dark jacket, light ball cap and a medical face mask approaching the front steps of the Schara Tzedeck synagogue on Vancouver's Oak Street on May 30 with a time stamp of 9:41 p.m. 

The man is carrying a clear bottle with liquid inside, and he unscrews the cap before disappearing from the frame. 

Less than a minute later, there is a bright flash and the video shows the man walking quickly down the synagogue stairs and onto the street.

A second video shows the front entrance from a different angle as orange flames spark and then flare up as the man walks away.

The police statement says investigators are looking to speak with anyone who might recognize the suspect in the video, as well as the driver of a beige or silver minivan that was seen in the area at the time of the fire.

Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt has said people were inside the synagogue after services that same night, when they heard a "bang" outside.

But he said it was a passerby who alerted them that their building was on fire, before a member of the congregation put out the flames with his jacket.

MORE National ARTICLES

Driver in hospital after striking the centre median in Surrey, road closures in effect

Driver in hospital after striking the centre median in Surrey, road closures in effect
A black Jaguar sedan was travelling west bound on 72nd avenue when it lost control and struck the centre median. The adult male driver of the Jaguar was taken to a local area hospital in critical condition with life threatening injuries.

Driver in hospital after striking the centre median in Surrey, road closures in effect

Canadians still facing longer surgical wait times

Canadians still facing longer surgical wait times
The report, published on Thursday, looked at knee and hip replacements, cataract surgeries and cancer surgeries performed in 2019 versus those performed in 2022. Thousands of joint replacement and cataract surgeries were cancelled or delayed when COVID-19 hit.

Canadians still facing longer surgical wait times

Parks Canada says reservation system working well

Parks Canada says reservation system working well
Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations. The site was recently updated to fix an older one that was prone to crashes and glitches.

Parks Canada says reservation system working well

North Van RCMP seek public's assistance in identifying suspect who allegedly seta porta-potty on fire

North Van RCMP seek public's assistance in identifying suspect who allegedly seta porta-potty on fire
On Monday, at 2:44 am Police and Fire were called to a porta-potty also set on fire in the 1900 block of Jones Ave in North Vancouver. No suspects were seen at this location but police believe this incident is related to the March 13th arson.

North Van RCMP seek public's assistance in identifying suspect who allegedly seta porta-potty on fire

Police-reported hate crimes rise again: StatCan

Police-reported hate crimes rise again: StatCan
It says the victims and those accused of reported hate crimes are most often men and boys. In British Columbia, religious hate crime reports more than doubled to 150 in 2021, while in Alberta they tripled to 91 incidents.

Police-reported hate crimes rise again: StatCan

Liberals to create corporate ownership registry

Liberals to create corporate ownership registry
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has tabled legislation that would create a corporate beneficial ownership registry. The prospective registry is expected to have the goal of making it easier to identify owners of corporations who launder money, commit financial crimes or evade taxes.    

Liberals to create corporate ownership registry