Edmonton police want help finding two women they say broke into a north Edmonton restaurant with an axe and set it on fire.
The break-in happened around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, at a restaurant near 124 Street and 167 Avenue, the Edmonton Police Service said Wednesday.
According to police, one suspect used an axe to smash the glass in the front entrance. Once they were inside, the second suspect brought in a jerry can, and police say the pair set it on fire.
Security cameras caught both of them. More than two months later, police still don’t know who they are. On Wednesday, investigators released three images showing the two approaching the restaurant and each suspect on her own.
What the suspects looked like
Suspect 1 is described as a woman wearing:
A camouflage hoodie
Black leggings
White high-top runners
She was last seen riding away on a BMX bike.
Suspect 2 is described as a woman wearing:
All dark clothing
Black sandals
She left on foot, and police don’t know which way she went.
Police haven’t released ages, heights or other physical details. You can see the images on the EPS media release.
What police haven’t said
Police haven’t named the restaurant or said how much damage the fire caused. They haven’t said whether anyone was inside, whether the restaurant was targeted, or why they’re only releasing the images now.
No arrests or charges have been announced.
Camera footage keeps cracking Edmonton arson cases
Security video has become one of the main ways Edmonton police track down people who set fires.
In June, police released surveillance images of a man they said deliberately set fire to a business near 91 Street and 111 Avenue. Like one of the women in this case, he left on a bike. He was riding an orange mountain bike pulling a small blue trailer.
Sometimes it works fast. On Aug. 19, the night before the restaurant fire, fires were set at an apartment building and two houses in Parkdale. Police say they reviewed CCTV and arrested a suspect near 116 Avenue and Fort Road that same evening. He has since been charged with five arson-related offences.
Police haven’t suggested those cases are connected to the restaurant fire.
If you recognize them
Police are asking anyone who knows who either woman is to call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567, or #377 from a mobile phone.
To stay anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at p3tips.com.
If you think you know who they are, tell police instead of posting names online. Police describe both women as suspects. Neither has been charged, and nothing has been proven in court.
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