Jukka Laurio is at a loss to understand who would target his Rush In and Finish Café with a Molotov cocktail Tuesday night just before 10 p.m.
“Off the top of my head I couldn’t pick an individual,” said Laurio who was in the upstairs residence at 248 Westminster Ave. at the time. “I heard the ignition sound of something when it explodes. I looked out the window and a fireball was going up the side of the building.”
He quickly dialed 911, went down to the café and grabbed a fire extinguisher. However the flammable liquid, believed to be gasoline, in the shattered Mason jar was already going out.
Laurio said there was only minor damage to the window and building.
According to Cpl. Dan Moskaluk, RCMP District Advisory NCO, a review of the store video showed two people walking past the business then back tracking with one of the individuals throwing the lit jar at the window.
The suspects are described as follows, the first was wearing a light-coloured hoody with jeans and dark shoes.
The second person was wearing a light-coloured shirt, dark pants and light-coloured shoes.
Anyone with information about the attempted arson is asked to call the Penticton RCMP detachment at 250-492-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Laurio, a two-time mayoral candidate, also operates the Herbal Green marijuana compassion club out of the Westminster location.
“The response (to the club) has been overwhelming,” said Laurio, who estimates it now has over 1,000 members since opening in May of last year. “We’re trying to keep up with the response, that’s the hardest part, we’ve had to hire extra staff just to keep up with (member) index cards.”
Membership approval is done on an individual basis and is usually related to a person’s medical requirement although a doctor’s authorization is not necessary.
He is planning to expand Herbal Green to a next door location in February.