Scarborough auto body shop arson ‘straight out of a movie’

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On blue-tinted video surveillance footage, two dark figures lurk around a Scarborough auto repair yard and then, whoosh, two fireballs ignite a bunch of cars.

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Danny Uruthiran, owner of Next Gear Auto Group east of McCowan Rd. and Sheppard Ave. E., sat in the darkness of his office Monday repeatedly going over the footage that captures an arson at his business early that morning.

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“This plaza has never had anything (happen) like this,” said Uruthiran. “I’m friendly and everybody comes here for help or they help (each other).

“This is so sad. I’m really heartbroken.”

Toronto Police have said the auto body shop was targeted by an arson early Monday in which two suspects broke into the yard and poured accelerant on vehicle before igniting them. Several vehicles were damaged in the blaze.

Uruthiran, who has operated the business for 15 years, said most of the vehicles that were torched had been fixed and “were ready to go” back to their owners. He quickly dismissed questions about the recent tow-truck wars and arsons across the GTA, saying most of his clients are “walk-ins” who bring their vehicles to him.

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He walked around his yard early Monday afternoon, pointing out the 11 high-end vehicles — Mercedes coupes, SUVs and BMWs — that were completely torched or severely damaged. The acrid stench of burnt rubber, plastic and car interiors added to the hazy wildfire smoke that has blanketed the GTA.

Toronto Police and Toronto Fire attended the scene around 2:15 a.m. to extinguish the blaze at the rear of the business, which is surrounded by numerous other auto body shops in a large plaza setting — adjacent to where the new Scarborough subway line is being built.

In the time-coded surveillance video, one of the suspects seems to throw a flare at a tire that has been propped up in the middle of the auto yard — after a possible accelerant was poured in a circular route around the vehicles.

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Police said the investigation is ongoing and they are looking for two suspects who were wearing all-dark clothing and holding jerry cans. They asked anyone who has information to contact them at 416-808-4200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 or 222tips.com.

Early in the afternoon, a young man wanted to see what remained of his car after getting a call from Uruthiran.

The young man had brought his 2014 white Mercedes C350 Coupe 3.5 L car into the shop a week or two ago after somebody in a parking lot had banged into it and fled the scene.

“This is straight out of a movie. I don’t even know what I’m looking at,” said the young man, who didn’t want to be identified.

“This is horrible. I’m super upset, this car meant a lot to me.”

Uruthiran, meanwhile, now has the task of contacting any remaining clients who were affected and dealing with insurance companies.

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