Hamilton Police have charged a 44-year-old Hamilton man for arson after endangering the historic First Unitarian Church of Hamilton.

On Sunday, November 5, 2023, before after 7:00 a.m., Hamilton Police responded to a fire at the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, located at 170 Dundurn Street South. Police arrived to find a smoldering recycling bin beside a gas meter, knowing this had the potential for significant harm the quick coordination between police and fire averted a potential disaster. The diligent efforts from a member of the churches Property Management team also played a crucial role in piecing together the events leading up to the incident.

Our community's safety is of paramount importance, and incidents like these underscore the vigilance needed to safeguard our places of worship. Detectives from the Arson unit continued to investigate, leveraging community support, diligently continued to pursue leads and on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, Robert Douglas was located and arrested for the following offenses.

·         Arson - Disregard for Human Life

·         Possession of Incendiary Material

Hamilton Police extends sincere appreciation to the Hamilton community; incidents of this nature have a profound impact, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between police and residents in maintaining the safety and security of our cherished places of worship.

If you have any information to assist in the investigation into this crime you are asked to contact the Arson unit at 905-540-3819.

To provide information anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online at http://www.crimestoppershamilton.com