Video shows suspects running down street after allegedly setting St. Catharines restaurant on fire

Police have released new video footage showing two suspects wanted in connection with a deliberately set fire at a St. Catharines shawarma restaurant earlier this week.

The arson took place at Castillo Shawarma near Lock Street and Lakeport Road at around 3:20 a.m. on Sept. 12.

The footage released by police on Monday shows a suspect vehicle passing in front of the restaurant before travelling through the intersection, at which point police say that two individuals got out.

The footage then shows those two suspects walking along a sidewalk back towards the restaurant.

One of the suspects appears to be holding a jerry can.

Moments later, another surveillance camera with a view of the restaurant’s patio shows a burst of flames and two suspects running away. The suspects initially run along the sidewalk before taking off down the middle of the deserted road, one of them still holding a jerry can.

Police say that investigators believe the suspects returned to the getaway vehicle that they arrived in and fled the scene southwest on Dalhousie Avenue.

The restaurant was empty at the time and no injuries were reported.

“Detectives believe that the suspects may have attended a gas station prior to the incident and are requesting assistance from businesses to review their cameras for footage in the hours leading up to the incident,” a news release notes. “Detectives have also determined that there were witnesses and vehicles in the area at the time of the incident. Detectives are looking to speak to these witnesses.”

Police say that they believe the arson was “targeted” but have not released any details about the potential motive.

As police continue to investigate, they have released limited suspect descriptions.

The first suspect is described as a male who was wearing a light-coloured baseball cap, a long black sleeve top, black track pants and flip flop sandals.

The second suspect is described as a male with a thin build, who is approximately six-feet tall with a tan complexion. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket with black sleeves, black pants, black basketball shoes with gray and white soles and a black mask.

The third suspect is described as a male with a light complexion and a thin build. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black track pants, black running shoes ad a black mask.

Police say that the getaway vehicle was a four-door sedan that was black or dark grey in colour with high intensity discharge front head lights and a interior front instrument panel that was illuminated in blue.