This story has been amended to correct an error. The original version of the story stated the accused is a Vancouver resident. He is in fact a Richmond resident.
Criminal charges have now been sworn against a 42-year-old Richmond man in relation to the arson of two Masonic halls in North Vancouver.
During the early morning of March 30, the Masons’ Lynn Valley Lodge on Lynn Valley Road and Capilano Lodge on Lonsdale Avenue both went up in flames, followed shortly after by the Park Lodge Hall on Rupert Street in East Vancouver.
Vancouver Police Department members arrested Benjamin Kohlman in Burnaby later that day and the Crown swore charges of arson, assaulting a police officer and flight from police related to the Park Lodge Hall fire.
Initially, VPD anticipated it would be several weeks before charges could be laid in the North Vancouver fires; however, on April 6, the B.C. Public Prosecution Service added two additional counts of arson and two additional counts of breaking and entering to commit an indictable offence against Kohlman.
Kohlman remains in custody pending future court appearances.
