For nearly a decade, Madeleine Chalhoub, who immigrated from Lebanon, has owned and operated the Highland Creek Med Spa on Old Kingston Road in Scarborough.
“This was my dream. I saved and worked hard to open this.” But today, that dream is in shambles. “It’s destroyed, all of it,” Chalhoub said.
Shortly after midnight, on June 27, surveillance cameras she installed captured what appeared to be two masked men break through the front door, pour some type of accelerant throughout the spa and set it on fire.
Her dream, she worked so hard for, burnt to ashes within two minutes. As shocking as that was, this is the second time in a year her business was set on fire.
The last time was in September before she had cameras installed. While Toronto police investigated that case, no suspects were ever arrested.
“And I thought at the time, ‘Okay, that was a random arson attack and it could happen to anyone,’ so I let it go and rebuilt and reopened,” she told CityNews. “But for it to happen a second time makes me feel like I am being targeted and I don’t know why.”
Chalhoub has wracked her brain to figure out the mind-wrenching question of why. Was it an angry past customer? She couldn’t think of anyone.
“I don’t know. You can ask everyone. You can ask all the neighbourhood. I’ve owned this place for years. I’ve never had a problem with anyone.”
She knows the suspects weren’t after money as nothing, from the cash in her register at the time to very expensive medspa machines and equipment, was stolen.
“Whoever did this doesn’t want me here and I don’t know why but I will not rest until they are found,” shared Chalhoub.
Chalhoub’s cameras were able to capture a license plate number on the vehicle used by the suspects, but was told by police that was a stolen vehicle.
She believes whoever is responsible was tracking her social media accounts as she had posted that she was visiting family in Lebanon the day the attack happened.
“Hours after I posted and tagged that I was in Lebanon, they hit,” she said. “So to me, someone knew this was the perfect time.”
Toronto police are investigating Chalhoub’s incident as well as an eerily similar suspected arson at a business in Leslieville which occurred just days after Chalhoub’s business was set on fire.
In that case, video footage released by investigators, shows two men approaching the TD Insurance Auto Centre on Eastern Avenue near Knox Avenue just before 4 a.m. on July 3.
Much like Chalhoub’s case, one man was armed with an orange container believed to contain some sort of accelerant which was poured into the building. The second man is then seen lighting an object on fire and throwing it into the building.
Police have not said if the two cases are connected but Chalhoub is left wondering if someone is randomly attacking businesses or after being hit twice, is it personal?
“I just need to know what I did to deserve this?” she asked. “If they wanted me to leave, I wish they just told me to my face but to do this, destroy my livelihood? I don’t get it.”
Police say anyone who might have information on either suspected arson should contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.
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