An attempted arson at a Surrey home on the weekend has been linked to an ongoing Justice Institute/ICBC investigation in which people loosely affiliated with the school are being targeted in arsons and drive-by shootings.
Sgt. Peter Thiessen, spokesman for the Lower Mainland District RCMP, said police were called to the home, in the 8300 block of 151st Street, just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday after a suspicious package left on the front steps exploded, starting a small fire. Residents quickly extinguished the blaze and no one was injured.
This is the third time the house has been targeted, Thiessen noted, following another arson in April last year, and a shots-fired incident in May.
A resident of the home is believed to be loosely connected with the Justice Institute of B.C.
"I want to emphasize that in no way are the residents of this home affiliated with any criminal activity," Thiessen said.
The Justice Institute/ICBC investigation, led by the RCMP, was announced last September, following a number of arsons and drive-by shooting of homes and vehicles throughout the Lower Mainland.
At the time, the RCMP indicated some victims were either current or former staff or students of the Justice Institute of B.C., while others were only loosely linked to the school. In December, about 13 individuals linked to the school had been victimized, RCMP said, but no one had been physically injured.
The investigation revealed a link to an ICBC employee, who allegedly accessed personal information of 65 individuals, including the 13 identified victims. The ICBC claims adjuster had already been identified and terminated at the end of August, but that information was not released at the time.
Thiessen wouldn't say if police had any other suspects. "This investigation remains a top priority for us, and police continue to gather evidence," he said.
"We're making progress but we haven't made any arrests yet."
The Justice Institute, a postsecondary institution based in New Westminster, provides instruction in areas such as public safety, justice and social services. For example, paramedics, sheriffs and municipal police officers receive their training there. About 30,000 students a year take courses at seven campuses around the province, including in New Westminster, Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Chilliwack and Victoria.
Police ask the public to be vigilant, and to immediately report any suspicious activity to the local police, to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or leave a TIP online at www.bccrimestoppers.com.
