Logan Square Surveillance Video Shows Man Setting Fires In Neighborhood
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A charred car is all that's left in one garage after a string of arsons in one Chicago neighborhood.
But there's a new clue that could help track down who's starting them.
CBS 2's Jeremy Ross reports from Logan Square where video of an arsonist at work has surfaced and neighbors said this past weekend, a man set a series of fires walking down an alley.
The person responsible may have been caught in the act. Logan Square neighbors are sharing surveillance of an alley showing a man apparently starting a fire then walking away from a trash bin. A fire starter believed to have played a role in a blaze Sunday.
The fire burned hot and quick. One garage was engulphed. Dangerous temperatures threating more then the possessions inside. Matt Denny said he's fortunate that what the fire took can be replaced. His garage partially grizzled and withering in the wind. The vehicle inside was burned so badly, the paint job was turned to char.
The car's tail light partially liquified. Its license plate turned to a kind of metal putty. Lizette Espinoza said it was part of string of blazes set throughout the alley this past weekend.
"All the way from the dumpsters over there, then more garbage cans and more and more," Espinoza said, who added that she's convinced it's the same guy.
"Yeah there's videos of him."
"I won't let someone doing this make my family live in fear. I hope that no one else does either," said Denny.
"It's only a matter of time before someone does get hurt I think," said Espinoza. "That's why were putting the word out."
Espinoza said she spoke with detectives who said they're looking for a man fitting the image on video is responsible for a string of arsons also in Logan Square back on August 25.
"We're very lucky nothing worse happened," said Denny.
Chicago police are looking into the incidents, saying they are open investigations and could not comment any further. If a pattern can be confirmed, a community alert will be issued.