A second suspect, Stanislav Carpiuc, has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson following a series of fires affecting properties associated with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. His arrest comes in the wake of ongoing investigations led by counterterrorism police.
Second Arrest Made in Arson Campaign Linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Second Arrest Made in Arson Campaign Linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Metropolitan Police charge a Romanian national in connection with suspicious fires tied to the residence of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
A Romanian national, Stanislav Carpiuc, aged 26, has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson as part of an investigation into a string of fire incidents linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the charges in a statement released on Tuesday.
Carpiuc's charges stem from three separate fire incidents occurring earlier this month. The first fire ignited on May 12 at a former home of Mr. Starmer located in Kentish Town, north London, where he resided with his family until last year, when they relocated to the official prime ministerial residence on Downing Street after his general election victory.
A day prior, another fire broke out at a residential property in Islington, and the final incident involved a car fire in Kentish Town dated May 8. Notably, reports indicate Starmer previously lived at the Islington property and also owned the car involved in the fire, which had been sold to a neighbor. Fortunately, the incidents did not result in any injuries, although the doorway of the Kentish Town house sustained damage.
Due to the high-profile nature of the case, counterterrorism police have taken the lead in the investigation. Carpiuc is accused of collaborating with fellow suspect Roman Lavrynovych, a 21-year-old Ukrainian national. Lavrynovych appeared in court last week, where the prosecution highlighted connections to the prime minister for both the car and the properties involved.
Carpiuc was apprehended on Saturday at London Luton Airport by counter-terrorism officers and is scheduled to appear in Westminster magistrates' court for a hearing on Tuesday. The situation remains fluid, and updates on the investigation are expected as more information surfaces.
