The accused male connected to the arson investigation of a Queen Street residence has been arrested.
The residential fire took place in the early morning hours of Monday, July 8 in the 800 block of Queen Street. The Thunder Bay Police Service and Thunder Bay Fire Rescue were not immediately notified about the fire.
As the result of an investigation by the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office, the fire was determined to be the result of arson.
Further investigation by the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Branch resulted in the identification of an accused male. A warrant for his arrest was then issued.
On Friday July 19, police obtained evidence that the accused male had fled to Niagara Falls. The accused was located with assistance from the Niagara Regional Police Service. The NRPS arrested the accused, who was later transported back to Thunder Bay.
Steffin SAM VARGHESE, 19, of Bangalore India, has been charged with Forcible Confinement x 7, and Arson.
He appeared in court on Wednesday, July 24, and was remanded into custody with a future appearance date.
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Police seek assistance in locating arson suspect
The Thunder Bay Police Service is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a suspect connected to two recent arson investigations.
Officers were dispatched to a house fire in the 500 block of Hartland Street just before 6 a.m. on Saturday, June 29. Thunder Bay Fire Rescue firefighters were on scene and working to extinguish the blaze when police arrived.
A resident of the Hartland Street home was critically injured as a result of the fire.
Through the course of an investigation involving the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall and Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, the fire was determined to be the result of arson.
Police learned of another residential fire that took place in the early morning hours of Monday, July 8 in the 400 block of Queen Street. Thunder Bay Police and Thunder Bay Fire Rescue were not notified at the time of this incident.
As a result of the ongoing investigation into both incidents, Steffin SAM VARGHESE,19, of Bangalore India is wanted by the Thunder Bay Police Service for arson in connection with the Queen Street incident. He is also a suspect in investigation of the Hartland Street incident.
A photo of SAM VARGHESE is attached to this media release.
If you have any information that could assist investigators in locating SAM VARGHESE please call police at 684-1200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at www.p3tips.com.
Police are also aware that a substantial amount of misinformation is being circulated about these incidents online. As a result, the public is being asked to avoid sharing information from media sources that cannot attribute their information directly to TBPS, TBFR, or the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall.