The Tim Hortons location on Northfield Rd., near the Nanaimo Parkway, sustained serious damage during an Aug. 2 fire in the early morning hours. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE

Arson charge laid after fire at Nanaimo Tim Hortons

Aug 8, 2022 | 9:25 AM

NANAIMO — A local man well known to police remains in custody and charged with arson.

Kym Robert Arkell, 38, faces a single count of arson damaging property following a Tuesday, Aug. 2 fire at Tim Hortons on Northfield Rd. He was arrested by police the following day.

Investigators believe Arkell lit the fire in the garbage can out front of the business, which saw flames spread up the outside of the building, while efforts by firefighters to extinguish the fire caused damage inside as well.

The business is expected to be closed for several months as a result of the incident.

A number of other fires were also lit in the area around the same time as the early morning incident, however no charges have been laid specifically to those yet.

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Arkell’s criminal history is extensive, dating back to 2006 with multiple offences throughout Nanaimo.

Previous charges include assault with a weapon, break and entering, robbery and theft.

He will remain in police custody at least until his next court appearance, due for Aug. 16 in Nanaimo.

In June, Arkell was sentenced to time served after threatening to kill a Country Club Centre employee after allegedly shoplifting from the Dollar Tree.

Arkell removed candy he was concealing and began walking out of the store while hurling verbal abuse toward the intervening employee, court was told at the time.

As part of the same sentencing hearing in which Arkel pleaded guilty to five charges he admitted to igniting a fire in the foyer of a Parksville bank in Dec. 2021.

Arkell’s lawyer told court his client has significant behavioural and mental health challenges which are compounded by homelessness and drug use.

Arkell was also convicted for a pair of similar daytime incidents in 2017 and 2018 near Altrusa Venture Park in which he pulled a knife and threatened to kill the responding Nanaimo RCMP officer.

Kym Robert Arkell faces an arson charge after an Aug. 2 fire at the Tim Hortons on Northfield Rd. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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