County Fire Investigators Make Arrest In Serial Arson Case

Contra Costa Fire announced Saturday morning that they have arrested of a Pittsburg man in connection with a string of arson fires that have hit multiple cities throughout Contra Costa County.

Here’s an announcement from Contra Costa Fire:

Just before 1:00 am this morning, Contra Costa County Fire Investigators in cooperation with a Deputy District Attorney from the Contra Costa County DA’s office, Contra Costa County DA Investigators, The California Highway Patrol, Lafayette Police Department, and Concord Police Department made an arrest in the series of vehicle fires occurring in recent weeks throughout Contra Costa County.

A 36-year-old Pittsburg man was located in a residential area of Benicia, and as officers arrived in the area, the suspect appeared to set fire to a vehicle in a driveway. The suspect was stopped a short distance away, and was taken into custody without incident. He was taken to Concord PD for interviews, and his car towed to be searched for evidence. A search warrant was executed for his home so that it could be searched for additional evidence.

The suspect is being booked on 43 different arson charges, and his bail is set at over $3.1 million dollars.

Residents are still advised to be proactive about their own safety by making sure their homes are well lit on the outside, and any flammable materials are cleaned up from their homes exteriors, as well as making sure that every home has working smoke alarms.

Anyone who believes that they may have additional information regarding the series of fires is encouraged to contact the Arson Tip Line for Contra Costa County Fire at 1-866-50-ARSON.

This past week, four cities were hit with vehicle fires in which fire districts in Contra Costa County responded to which include:

• Lafayette
• Martinez
• Walnut Creek

On Thursday, Contra Costa County Fire confirmed that they have determined that these fires were likely related while being tied to fires earlier this year.  The exact number of fires, however, is unknown.

Other cities believed to be possible targets at some point in 2017 include Antioch and Pittsburg.

The individual in this case allegedly set fire to a car on Canyon Ct. in Benicia around midnight Saturday morning. He was taken into custody by Benicia police at a McDonald’s on E.2nd St. in Benicia.