arson

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One of the World's Oldest Cypress Trees Burns Down

Arson ruled out in felling of Florida's 'The Senator'

(Newser) - A historic cypress tree, thought to be one of the oldest in the world, is no more after catching fire and being destroyed early today. "The Senator," or "The Big Tree" as Central Floridians called it, was estimated to be 3,500 years old in 1946. "...

Accused LA Arsonist Eyed in Vancouver Fires

Canada rejected Burkhart's claim for refugee status

(Newser) - Cops in Vancouver are wondering whether accused Los Angeles firebug Harry Burkhart hates Canadians as much as he hates Americans . Burkhart and his mother lived in the city before moving to LA, and Canadian police now suspect him of involvement in at least a dozen unsolved property arsons in Vancouver,...

Suspected LA Arsonist Faces Life

Harry Burkhart could serve as many as 341 years ... or more

(Newser) - Suspected arsonist Harry Burkhart reportedly proclaimed "I hate America," when Los Angeles police apprehended him—and it looks like America, or, at least, its prosecutors, aren't too keen on him, either. Burkhart faces 37 felony counts of arson; if convicted on all counts, that could translate into...

Blocked Bathroom Access Sparked NYC Mosque Attack

Frappuccino firebomber confesses

(Newser) - Police say an unemployed truck driver suspected of carrying out a string of firebombing attacks in New York has confessed to the attacks, and told them that he targeted a mosque because he wasn't allowed to use its bathroom. Ray Lazier Lengend, 40, has been charged with five counts...

LA Arson Suspect: I Hate America

State Department tip led cops to angry Harry Burkhart

(Newser) - The 24-year-old German man arrested on suspicion of setting more than 50 houses and building on fire in Los Angeles said "I hate America" after cops pulled him out of his car, LA Weekly reports. Harry Burkhart was apparently furious over his mother's pending deportation, say police, who...

Cops Hunt NYC Firebomber
 Cops Hunt NYC Firebomber 
UPDATED
Jan 3, 2012 5:34 AM CST

Cops Hunt NYC Firebomber

Sketch of frappuccino-drinking hate-crime suspect released

(Newser) - Police in New York City say the suspect in four firebombings apparently hates Muslims and Hindus but loves Starbucks. A sketch of the man suspected of throwing Molotov cocktails at four targets —including a mosque, a home that doubles as a Hindu temple, and a deli—has been released...

Suspect Arrested in LA Arsons
 Suspect Arrested in LA Arsons 
Jan 2, 2012 3:11 PM CST

Suspect Arrested in LA Arsons

'We've got the right guy,' says LAPD chief

(Newser) - The "person of interest" detained earlier today in Los Angeles' string of arsons has been arrested, reports the Los Angeles Times . "I feel very good that we've got the right guy," says LA Police Chief Charlie Beck. He "had the right stuff in his van,...

LA Arson Spree Continues With 12 More Fires

12 more fires break out, police detain person of interest

(Newser) - Another dozen fires broke out over two hours early this morning around Los Angeles, some of them apparently simultaneously , as police investigate 55 such incidents since last week . Police have now detained a "person of interest" in the crimes, believed to be the same white male between 20 and...

Los Angeles Arson Wave Continues New Year's Eve
 More Fires Hit LA on NYE 
Jan 1, 2012 5:03 AM CST

More Fires Hit LA on NYE

Wave of arson now the worst since '92 riots

(Newser) - Hundreds of extra firefighters were deployed in Los Angeles New Year's Eve to fight the city's worst wave of arson since the 1992 riots. Four more cars were set ablaze, apparently at random, and investigators believe the same arsonist or arsonists who started more than 30 fires in...

Domino's Managers Torch Papa John's: Cops

The pair allegedly built an ignition device but didn't use it

(Newser) - Talk about taking your job a little too seriously. A pair of Domino's Pizza managers in Lake City, Florida, have been charged with burning down a rival Papa John's Pizza franchise, the Ocala Star-Banner reports. Police arrested one manager, Sean Everett Davidson, 23, on Thursday, and say he...

Poop-to-Gold Experiment Goes ... Wrong

Belfast alchemist jailed for arson

(Newser) - Human feces, mixed with fertilizer and other ingredients and left on top of an electric heater, will not turn to gold, an amateur alchemist in Belfast discovered. Paul Moran, whose experiment set his apartment on fire, was jailed for three months for arson and endangering the lives of others, the...

Dad Suspected of Killing Wife, 4 Kids

Stabbed kids, all under age of 8, found in torched home

(Newser) - An Oregon man stabbed his four children—all under the age of 8—and his wife before torching his house yesterday, police believe. Firefighters arrived to douse the flames after someone called in the fire around 9am, and found the family inside. They pulled the bodies onto the lawn and...

Looters Burn Sudan Border Town

North takes Abyei amid fears of new conflict

(Newser) - South Sudan's move toward independence has taken a turn for the worse: Armed looters burned sections of a disputed Sudan border town today as north Sudan’s army refused UN orders to withdraw from it, Reuters reports. Entering the town with tanks, the north took control of Abyei this...

Guy Sets Motel Room Fire Because Satan Lived There

Totally makes sense, right?

(Newser) - There’s only one obvious reason a person might set his motel room blankets on fire: Because he thinks he’s sharing the room with Satan. That’s the excuse a 52-year-old Washington man gave to cops after allegedly starting the motel room fire Friday, the Herald reports. He had...

Arsonist Busted After Leaving Fingertip at Scene

Cops found Ismael Ortiz, not surprisingly, at a hospital

(Newser) - Ismael Ortiz left something kinda important behind after allegedly setting a Florida home on fire: the tip of his finger. Police found the evidence inside a latex glove; a detective says Ortiz slammed his finger in a door while fleeing the scene. They found Ortiz, 24, at a local hospital,...

Man Torches Foreclosed Home, Shoots Himself, Wife

He threatens mayhem in 911 call

(Newser) - Economic hard times took a deadly turn when a soon-to-be-fired 60-year-old California man apparently torched his foreclosed home and shot himself and his wife. Authorities found the remains of two people in the ashes of the suburban San Diego home after the man called 911 to report that he had...

Israel Hunts Settlers in Mosque Fire

They allegedly burned prayer rugs, Korans

(Newser) - The Koran-burning furor appears to have arrived in the West Bank. Five Jewish settlers are alleged to have broken into a mosque in the Palestinian town of Beit Fajjar early today and set fire to it, along with prayer rugs and a large number of Korans, witnesses tell al-Jazeera . The...

Muslims Suspect Arson at Tenn. Mosque Site

Construction vehicles vandalized

(Newser) - A vehicle used to break ground for a new mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn., was set on fire early Saturday morning, and three other vehicles were vandalized, doused in accelerant but not torched. The Muslims building the mosque call the fire one of several recent attempts at intimidation they’ve endured....

Suicide Boy, 14, Kills Mom, 3 Siblings

Staten Island blaze was murder-suicide

(Newser) - New York City police believe a troubled teen slit the throats of his two sisters before setting the family home on fire and cutting his own throat. The mother and 2-year-old brother of 14-year-old CJ Jones also perished in the Staten Island blaze. CJ was found with a straight razor...

Medical Marijuana Shops Firebombed in Montana

'Not In Our Town' sprayed on businesses

(Newser) - Two Montana businesses legally providing medical marijuana in Billings have been firebombed in two days. The attackers—who could face up to 20 years in prison on felony arson charges if caught and convicted—also spray painted "Not In Our Town" across the front of the operations. Police have...

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