Fire started in restaurant to skip out on bill: police

Investigators are trying to identify a woman linked to a fire they think was set as a diversion so a group of people could avoid paying a restaurant bill.

The Winnipeg Police Service did not identify the restaurant on the first 100 block of St. Mary’s Road by name, but the only one in that area is Santa Lucia Pizza.

The fire started inside at about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, causing significant damage, when it was time for a group of three men and two women to pay their bill for food and alcoholic drinks.

The fire was extinguished before emergency crews arrived, and the five people left on foot.

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a woman described as Indigenous (possibly Métis), 20 to 30 years old, with a medium build and brown/red curly hair. She had a tattoo on her chest and was wearing a black tank top. The WPS released images of the woman taken from security video.

Police asked anyone with information about the woman to call the non-emergency line at 204-986-6222 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or Crime Stoppers.