Toronto police arrest man in alleged arson at Jewish school

Toronto Police Services (TPS) have arrested one man in an arson at a Jewish school, alleging he set the fire after his belongings were removed from a shed on school property where he was taking shelter.

Fire crews were called to The Leo Baeck Day School at 501 Arlington Ave. in York on Tuesday at around 3:46 a.m. for reports of a fire.

The blaze was contained to the shed and was quickly doused, but Toronto Fire Services said the school had to be ventilated after smoke entered the premises. The shed was damaged, and heat from the fire also shattered some of the school’s windows.

No injuries were reported.

On Thursday, police arrested Mark Anthony Dela-Cruz, 34, of Toronto. He’s been charged with arson and three counts of failing to comply with probation.

Investigators say the man was using an exterior storage shed at the school for shelter. On July 29, staff noticed that he had been storing his belongings inside the shed, and the items were removed.

The next day police say the suspect returned to find his belongings removed. He was then observed leaving the shed. Shortly after, it went up in flames.

The fire initially sparked concerns about antisemitism, but police have emphasized that there’s no evidence of a hate crime.