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Image released of suspect leaving scene of OK Tire arson

Abbotsford Police continue to investigate Saturday-morning fire
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Police have released this image, obtained from surveillance video, of a suspect fleeing from OK Tire in Abbotsford after a fire was set there early Saturday morning.

Investigators believe that an arson at the OK Tire store in Abbotsford over the weekend started inside the business.

The major crime unit of the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) is still trying to determine what led to the shop – located at the corner of South Fraser Way and Ware Street – going up in flames on Saturday morning.

The APD has also released an image of a suspect fleeing the scene, in hopes that someone will be able to identify him or may recall an interaction with a person with a similar appearance prior to, or after, the fire being set, said Const. Ian MacDonald.

He said police are still reviewing other video footage and, if a better image becomes available, they will release it.

A witness who called 911 after seeing flames and smoke coming from the building at about 4:30 a.m. said he saw a person running eastbound from the scene.

The caller described the suspect as a thin male who was wearing dark clothing and a hoodie.

The blaze destroyed the tire shop and took crews from Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service more than two hours to extinguish. The fire was difficult to put out due to the burning of dozens of tires on the second floor.

A motive for the arson has not yet been determined, and police are continuing to investigate.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the APD at 604-859-5225, text abbypd (222973) or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.