Police in Edmonton have issued an arrest warrant for an arson suspect wanted in several alleged cases of bitcoin extortion.
The Edmonton charges come just days after Calgary police issued arrest warrants for the same man, Finbar Hughes, for similar charges.
According to court records, which detailed the warrants for arrest, Hughes, 21, is wanted in both cities on a total of 10 charges: seven in Edmonton and three in Calgary. The charges include arson, extortion and possession of incendiary material.
On September 23, a vehicle was intentionally torched at 77th Street and 95th Street in the Holyrood neighbourhood of Edmonton and a note was left on the doorstep demanding bitcoin.
On October 13, a house at 95th Street and 9t7th Avenue in the Cloverdale neighbourhood of Edmonton was set on fire and some neighbours told CBC News that they received notes suggesting that they could see the same fate unless they paid $1,000 in bitcoin.
The notes were handwritten, mostly in block letters.
Several days later, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responded to a fire at the same Holyrood home from September. EFRS said there was evidence a soffit and an outdoor carpet were set on fire.
On November 19, firefighters were called to a house in the Hillhurst neighbourhood of Calgary that was police say intentionally set on fire. Police said several neighbours had received letters on their front steps asking for bitcoin transfers.
Hughes, is described as six feet tall weighing about 175 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.