Seven teenagers are facing dozens of charges of arson and related crimes after a string of fires were set throughout Laval this summer.
Police arrested the group of seven teenagers last week and said they had started dozens of fires in the city -- although the Crown decided it would only lay charges in connection to four of those fires.
Laval police say 87 arsons have taken place since May. A group of teens have been connected to four fires and are facing 40 charges. @CTVMontreal pic.twitter.com/DuepzkOVT1
— Matt Grillo (@MGrilloCTV) September 17, 2018
Two of the teens have since been released from custody, while the remaining five are scheduled to appear in court this week in an attempt to be granted bail.
The two that have been released must follow a strict list of conditions.
Police said the crime spree began in May as the group started 87 separate fires that caused at least $377,000 in damage. The single worst fire destroyed the chalet used by the Pie IX pool, forcing the city to close the pool on May 26, 2018.
Earlier this summer this chalet in Pie-X park in Laval was heavily damaged by a fire. Police have now linked this fire along with others to a series of arsons. @CTVMontreal pic.twitter.com/ZRlKBLtTTA
— Matt Grillo (@MGrilloCTV) September 17, 2018
Over the summer police were able to get enough clues from surveillance photos and from witnesses to identify the suspects, leading to last week's arrests.
"Most of the people who pressed charges for the fire, who called the police to report that, most of them have video, good video and pictures and photos," said Stephanie Beshara of the Laval police department.
One of the teenagers involved is 18 and was charged as an adult, while the rest are minors.
