Homeowners near abandoned B.C. subdivision call for security after suspected arson

Police on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast are asking for witnesses and video after two homes were destroyed in a suspected arson at the abandoned Seawatch subdivision near Sechelt. The fires happened on Sept. 5 inside a neighbourhood that was evacuated in 2019 after sinkholes made the area unsafe. RCMP want residents and drivers to check security cameras and dashcams from the morning of the fire, and they are also asking to speak with the owner of a dark green Jeep Grand Cherokee seen nearby. Neighbours who live beside the fencedoff development say trespassing has been a longrunning problem and that the fire has made them feel even less safe. Local residents are asking for stronger barriers, security cameras, notrespassing enforcement and an emergency plan for the area. Sechelt council has asked staff to estimate the cost of added security measures and is expected to discuss the issue with the province.