Two Norfolk men each face 11 counts of arson in connection with a series of suspicious fires in and around the county over the last three months.
The arrests came after a fire in a vacant barn on Lynn Valley Road, east of Highway 6 in Haldimand County on Sunday night.
Officers from Norfolk and Haldimand OPP, the OPP crime unit, members of the West Region OPP Emergency Response Team and the Haldimand County Fire Department responded to fire at about 10:30 p.m.
Police say no injuries were reported.
About 10 minutes later, officers stopped a pickup truck on Concession 12 Townsend in Norfolk County. Police say it matched the description of a vehicle seen near a suspicious fire in Norfolk in November.
The driver and passenger of the truck were arrested.
Police allege the suspects “were involved in multiple similar incidents throughout Norfolk County between November 2024 and January 2025,” said a news release issued by Norfolk OPP on Monday.
“Through investigative excellence and community partnership, we’ve held those responsible accountable, ensuring justice and restoring community trust,” said Norfolk OPP Insp. Andy Tait, the detachment commander.
Matthew Smith, 30, of Norfolk County, has been charged with 11 counts of arson — damage to property and fail to comply with probation order.
Chad Reimer, 43, of Norfolk County, is charged with 11 counts of arson — damage to property; and operation while impaired.
The accused are in custody and scheduled to appear for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on Monday.
Last week, Tait confirmed to members of Norfolk’s Police Services Board that police set up a joint task force to tackle the spike in arsons.
Police have been investigating 13 different incidents of arson in Norfolk since late October, with four suspicious fires last week alone. Some of the incidents have seen multiple structures catch fire. Sunday’s was in neighbouring Haldimand County.
Five abandoned houses and 12 empty barns or outbuildings in sparsely populated rural areas were targetted, though a working gas station was torched overnight on Jan. 21 and the flames spread to an attached occupied home. Everyone inside escaped safely.
“These fires are very, very concerning to anybody,” said Tait at the meeting. “Someone might say, well, it’s property damage. Yes, but you’re putting live human beings in a position to respond and deal with these fires, and you’re putting them at risk. That really makes me extremely concerned.”
Police did not identify the specific properties related to the charges the two men face.
Suspicious fires under investigation include:
- Oct. 29, about 11:30 pm – Turkey Point Road
- Nov. 12, 2024, about 10:38 p.m. on Windham East Quarter Line Road, Simcoe.
- Nov. 13, 2024, about 1:03 a.m. on Windham Road 13, Simcoe.
- Nov. 26, 2024. about 10:19 p.m. on Fourteenth Street West, Simcoe.
- Nov. 27, 2024, about 12:03 a.m. on 10th Concession Road, Langton
- Dec. 11, 2024, about 4:09 a.m. on Highway 24 near Concession 11 Townsend.
- Dec. 19, 2024, about 11:40 p.m. on Concession 10 Townsend, Waterford.
- Dec. 27, 2024, about 12:33 a.m. on St. John’s Road West, Simcoe.
- Jan. 6, 2025, about 3:29 a.m. on Windham Road 11, Delhi.
- Jan. 19, 2025 just before 10 p.m. on First Concession Road, Port Rowan
- Jan. 21, 2025, about 11:40 p.m. near Concession 6 Townsend and Angling Road/
- Jan. 22, 2025 just after midnight, gas station on Highway 24.
- Jan. 22, 2025, about 2:20 a.m. Brantford Road at Teeterville Road.
The Norfolk County OPP Crime Unit urges anyone with information about this incident or previously reported incidents to contact the Norfolk County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Residents in this or any other affected areas are also encouraged to review their home surveillance systems for any footage that could aid in the investigations.