Authorities say Ann Arbor car fires appear linked and date back several months
Authorities have determined numerous car fires in Ann Arbor since the beginning of the year are linked and were intentionally set. Those fires include several this month.
But investigators don't have evidence at this point tying a fatal house fire on South State Street to the series of car fires, Ann Arbor Fire Marshal Kathleen Chamberlain said.
Police and firefighters continue to investigate the cause of the fires. Another series of fires occurred in the same area two weeks ago.
Photo courtesy of Darren Levitt
"We do believe that the vehicle fires are connected, and we're looking into whether there's any connection to any other fires that have been occurring," Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain declined to say how many car fires have occurred, but said they date back to at least the beginning of the year. The cars were mostly parked under or behind multi-family homes, she said.
Among the cases are four vehicle fires early Saturday morning that damaged eight cars, including one that resulted in minor injuries to a man attempting to douse a car fire near a sorority house.
Officials say a fire that consumed three cars in a parking area underneath an apartment building on Church Street two weeks ago appears to be connected to the weekend cases.
That April 3 fire occurred shortly before a home in the 900 block of South State Street was gutted, killing a 22-year-old Eastern Michigan University student and injuring two others.
Chamberlain said authorities are still awaiting the results of samples sent to the state police crime lab for analysis. But she said officials do not have evidence at this point showing that fire was intentionally set or that it's linked to the car fires.
"Over the past several months, the city of Ann Arbor has experienced a series of suspicious fires in the off-campus residential housing district," Chamberlain said in a press release. "Our investigations to date have determined that the vehicle fires have not been accidental, they have been deliberately set, and we are considering them to be arsons."
"We are continuing to investigate whether the vehicle fires may be related to other fires that have occurred in the area," her statement said. "Of particular importance is the recent fire that resulted in the death of a young Eastern Michigan University student."
The investigation includes the Ann Arbor Fire Department, Ann Arbor Police Department and Michigan State Police.
Police officials referred comment to the Fire Department.
Authorities are urging residents to be particularly observant when they park vehicles and to be vigilant of suspicious activity in or around residential parking lots.
The reward of up to $5,000 is being offered by the Michigan Arson Prevention Committee.
Anyone with information is asked to contact:
- Police: at 734-794-6939 or Tips@A2gov.org
- Fire: A2FP@A2gov.org
- Arson reward hot line: 1-800-44ARSON
Comments
Really?
Tue, Apr 20, 2010 : 4:52 a.m.
@Loka. As someone that works for the FD, we're not using 'scare tactics'. The things we deal with aren't the same things the average-joe deals with in his daily job, so when people hear about the 'bad stuff' they usually like to call it scare tactics. Take it from me, no one believes with MORE firefighters there won't be any fires. What we're trying to say is that the city is WAY below minimum federal and state standards right now. Taking another 20% may only prove to make the small fires worse. Fires, car accidents, medicals, water rescues, etc will still happen even if we had 1 firefighter for every 1,000 residents. But to take us down to 47% of where we were about 5 years ago means that it will be impossible (not harder) for us to throw resources at a small situation before it becomes a large one. Before anyone suggests that's a 'scare tactic'... tell me how we're supposed to put enough people on a fire when those people no longer are employed by the city? It's not a 'tactic', it's trying to make people understand the reality.
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 8:06 p.m.
This proves the case for new match control laws.
jcj
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 7:21 p.m.
Too much TV watching! Crimes are always solved in 1 hr or less on TV. But in the real world it is not so easy. Especially when a part of the population doesn't seem to trust the police or fire departments.
Lokalisierung
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 6:56 p.m.
"Scare tactics" maybe a little harsh. I don't think the FD people speaking are trying to trick people or anything. I believe they think with more people and money these things wouldn't happen; which I disagree with.
Lokalisierung
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 6:53 p.m.
As I've said mmay times before; scare tactics plain & simple. Agian i life FD and don't want anyone to lose their job as they are very important, but you just can't draw correlations to everything so easily.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 6:51 p.m.
BornNRaised, I assume you have an alibi? Seriously though every time one of these stories comes up theres no shortage of posts from folks (I assume police and or firemen) who bring up the cuts as though there is a direct connection between cuts and increased numbers of incidents. These posters often "warn" citizens about response times and make veiled suggestions that when we call 911 someday nobody will show up. Its not hard for these warnings to morph in to threats in the minds of readers who see them over and over.
psaume23
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 6:47 p.m.
If the pattern has developed over several months but the local PD and FD have not developed any strong leads, it may be time for the locals to ask the FBI, and if the Bureau is not available, at least the ATF, to come in to connect the dots. Not that the locals are necessarily unable to handle the case(s), but the FBI and ATF have greater investigative resources, and their agents' training may be stronger when applied to the investigation of arson.
BornNRaised
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 4:42 p.m.
So for all those people that are insinuating something about the layoffs and the fires... I'm sure you'd also like to maybe blame the PD for the recent home invasions, muggings, and assaults? Maybe it's someone on the force doing that. Nice detective work folks. Thanks.
BornNRaised
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 4:18 p.m.
So for all those people that are insinuating something about the layoffs and the fires... I'm sure you'd also like to maybe blame the PD for the recent home invasions, muggings, and assaults? Maybe it's someone on the force doing that. Nice detective work folks. Thanks.
Hmm
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 3:44 p.m.
Indeed!
trs80
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 2:23 p.m.
Insurance fraud?
iceman
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 1:42 p.m.
Sounds like a job for FBI criminal profilers.I don't think they charge.Or we could just wait to see if we get lucky.DUH!
Klly76
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 1:27 p.m.
This is the first I've heard about suspicious car fires in the Ann Arbor area. I live in University Townhouses in S/E Ann Arbor and several weeks ago a parked car was on fire in the parking lot here, prompting the fire department to respond. The vehicle was towed/removed very shortly after the fire being put out. I am wondering if this may have been related in some way because the vehicle was parked and there was not a driver/occupant there at the time. We never received any notice here about a suspicious fire and the Co-op is very good at notifying residents of suspicious incidents. Does anyone at the news have access or information as to the locations of these fires? Just wondering if it was a coincidence?
Klly76
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 1:22 p.m.
I live in University Townhouses in S/E Ann Arbor and several weeks ago a parked car was on fire in the parking lot here, prompting the fire department to respond. I noticed they were paying close attention to the inside of the vehicle when the fire was put out, but the vehicle was towed/removed very shortly after. I am wondering if this may have been related in some way because the vehicle was parked and there was not a driver/occupant there at the time. We never received any notice here about a suspicious fire and the Co-op is very good at notifying residents of suspicious incidents. Does anyone at the news have access or information as to the locations of these fires? Just wondering if it was a coincidence?
John Hritz
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 1:04 p.m.
Apparently, information on fires is made available for publication at the discretion of the fire chief (much like the police blotter). Other information must be collected using freedom of information act requests. We seem to be getting more information recently. Lets hope it continues.
URmaster
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 12:24 p.m.
intentionally set = arson
ACertainMan
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 12:14 p.m.
I'd like to see a list of the make & model of the cars that were torched. Any pattern? This person probably has a record for starting fires, I'd suspect. There may also be a connection to fire dept... Such as a person that fired (no pun intended or deemed unqualified for the job. Correct me if I'm wrong but 2 people were arrested and convicted for the South U. fire that gutted the old pinball house, right?
Atticus F.
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 12:14 p.m.
This is scary, more so since we just had some one killed in a suspected arson. Who's to say this person wont strike again and kill someone elses son or daughter.
djm12652
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 12:07 p.m.
@Robert M, let's just hope that no city art projects get harmed...
dading dont delete me bro
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 12:06 p.m.
hope they catch these turds. even w/pd and fd cuts.
Sam Kirkpatrick
Mon, Apr 19, 2010 : 11:41 a.m.
So let me get this straight: There have been "numerous" car fires this year that were intentionally set, and yet this went unnoticed by this blog and unmentioned by the fire department? Great.