Arson 2 Arrested
Source: OPP
Date: Tue Jan 28 09:06:36 MST 2025

At approximately 10:35 p.m. on Sunday, January 26, 2025, officers from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Norfolk County and Haldimand County Detachments, investigators from the Norfolk County OPP Crime Unit, members of the West Region OPP Emergency Response Team, and the Haldimand County Fire Department, responded to a structure fire on Lynn Valley Road, east of Highway 6, in Haldimand County.
The fire involved a vacant barn, and no injuries were reported as a result.
Around 10:49 p.m., officers stopped a pickup truck on Concession 12 Townsend in Norfolk County. The vehicle matched the description of a pickup truck seen near a suspicious fire that occurred in Norfolk County in November 2024.
As a result, the driver and passenger were taken into custody without incident.
Investigators have determined that these individuals were involved in multiple similar incidents throughout Norfolk County between November 2024 and January 2025.
30-year-old Matthew SMITH from Norfolk County has been charged with the following alleged offences:
Arson damage to property (11 counts),
Fail to comply with Probation Order.
43-year-old Chad REIMER from Norfolk County has been charged with the following alleged offences:
Arson damage to property (11 counts),
Operation while impaired blood alcohol concentration (80 plus).
The accused individuals remain in custody and are scheduled to appear for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on Monday, January 27, 2025.
The Norfolk County OPP Crime Unit urges anyone with information regarding this incident or previously reported incidents to contact the Norfolk County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Residents in this or any other affected areas are also encouraged to review their home surveillance systems for any footage that could aid in the investigations.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or leave an anonymous online tip at www.helpsolvecrime.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
Updates will be provided as soon as new information becomes available.