City of Toledo Pleas For Help In Arson Investigations
Thirty-one vacant house fires in the last two months have the city of Toledo on edge. So much so that the Mayor announced the reward for valuable information has been boosted to $25,000 in hopes of solving some of the yet-unsolved blazes in the area. Of the six most populous cities in the state, Toledo has had the most arson cases per capita in the past year.
Since the start of this year, Toledo has seen 80 suspicious fires, up 37% from last year. The Fire Chief states there is reason to believe many of these arsons have been committed by the same people. Evidence at the blaze scenes connect the fires in some way.
Two arrests were recently made in one of the fires as two boys, ages 12 and 13 were seen leaving the scene of a smaller vacant house fire. Despite the magnitude of these offenses, they often begin as a childhood prank.
Arsons are considered very serious crimes. Their potential for damage is huge and likely why they are so serious. A natural occurrence like fire is difficult to control and can spread easily to destroy residences and hurt or even kill the very people fighting to stop it.
While arsons are often portrayed on television and movie screens as being committed by totally deranged individuals, they are often started by kids. Sometimes, what begins as a controlled burning can also quickly get out of hand and appear to be a deliberately set blaze.
Property crimes like this carry serious criminal sentences. With arson, the degree of the criminal charges faced depends on the result of the blaze. You could be looking at a misdemeanor charge with a 6 month jail sentence. If, however, the fire involves an occupied structure, you are looking at 2 to 8 years in prison and a felony record.
The fires in Toledo have served to cause millions of dollars in damage, preventable damage. And whoever is found to be responsible will likely face a court motivated by the city’s collective displeasure.
If you’re facing charges of arson or something as simple as vandalism, you need a defense attorney looking out for your best interests. Please contact us to speak about your case and to get some legal help.
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