For the last eight months, someone has been setting fires in one Cleveland neighborhood — more than 30 fires. For the residents of that neighborhood, the news of an arrest has them feeling very relieved. The only affected area has involved three or four streets.
The person setting the fires, whether or not that is the person who police arrested, has been called “the fire bug.” While the fires were set in vacant homes, in ditches or on campaign signs, people living nearby have wondered if the fire bug would start burning people’s homes.
One resident said, “When are they gonna set a fire that’s gonna hit my house? Or my car? Or my neighbor’s house? Or my neighbor’s car? Or when is this guy gonna move on to something bigger, and not be satisfied with small fires? That’s the worry it puts on people.”
The Cleveland fire marshal said the fires were “were very sporadic. There not a lot of pattern to them. It was just, really a crime of opportunity.”
Last week, two neighbors told police that they saw someone lighting a fire in a ditch. Since police arrested a 59-year-old man for reckless burning, there have not been any more fires in the area. It’s been a week and a half since his arrest.
If you have been charged with a serious crime such as arson, you will need a strong defense strategy against the charges. An experienced attorney can help you with this and other parts of your case, such as determining if a plea bargain is in your best interests.
Source: wrcbtv.com, “Cleveland man arrested after 30 suspicious fires; residents relieved,” Sara Sidery, Aug. 24, 2016