Man, 18, and boy, 17, accused of torching 16 vehicles in Markham

An 18-year-old man, two 17-year-old boys and a 17-year-old girl face charges stemming from an arson investigation that saw more than a dozen vehicles torched in Markham early last year.

Article content

Article content

Article content

York Regional Police say officers responded to a suspected arson in the area of Green Lane and Guardsman Rd. – northeast of Bayview Ave. and John St. – around 5 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2025.

“A total of 16 vehicles were damaged by the fire and an accelerant was used to fuel the flames,” Const. James Dickson said in a statement released Wednesday, adding the damage caused by the fire was over $300,000.

He said investigators later learned that a vehicle believed to be connected to the fire was stolen from the  Midland-Lawrence Aves. area prior to the arson.

Article content

Article content

When the suspects were arrested, he explained one youth was allegedly found with a concealed a weapon.

Search warrants were subsequently executed at two residences – one in Toronto and one in Hamilton – and an electronic device used to commit motor vehicle theft was allegedly recovered.

Among those arrested was Muhammad Hassan Choudhry, 18, of Hamilton.

At the time of the alleged offence, police say Choudhry was subject to conditions of judicial release orders and undertakings for unrelated offences that are now before the courts.

He is charged with arson causing damage to property; possession of incendiary material; theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000; mischief to property over $5,000; two counts of wearing a disguise with intent; possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; possession of an electronic device for motor vehicle theft; and two counts each of failure to comply with an undertaking and failure to comply with judicial release order.

Article content

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

A 17-year-old Toronto boy is charged with arson causing damage to property; possession of incendiary material; theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000; and other offences.

A 17-year-old Toronto girl is charged with possession of property obtained by crime.

And a 17-year-old Toronto boy is charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

The three youths can’t be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Barely five weeks after the 16 vehicles were set ablaze, another 13 vehicles were torched in a Markham lot – on Heritage Rd., northeast of McCowan Rd. and Hwy. 7 –  on March 4, 2024.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

However, Dickson told The Toronto Sun the two arsons are not believed to be connected.

“There is no evidence to link these two incidents at this time,” he said. “Both incidents are being investigated individually based on their own merit.”

cdoucette@postmedia.com

@sundoucette

Article content