Neighborhood Bands Together To Help Police Catch Arson Suspect
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4)- People who live in a Longmont neighborhood where an arsonist was setting fires have banded together to snuff out those fires.
The Kiteley Neighborhood of Longmont was targeted by what police are calling a serial arsonist. Conrad Nilsson, 31, was arrested on Tuesday after he was spotted in an alley along Corey Street.
"Apparently this person didn't have much of conscience about it and just real glad to hear they caught somebody who looks like the person," said one Kiteley resident Robert, who didn't want his last name used. "I'd been worried about this person who had been setting fires anywhere, could be my property, could be yours, could be anybody's."
After the first few fires, neighbors decided to take action. Robert helped organize a neighborhood watch group. After talking to Longmont police, the residents had a better idea of who they were looking for.
"Someone has been setting off an awful lot of fires lately. He gave us some information on what to look for. At the time, it was a ponytail and a certain kind of older style camouflage," said Robert.
On Tuesday, Robert's next door neighbor saw a man matching the description of the arsonist behind his house, in the alley. He called 911 and police arrived. They arrested the man after seeing him near a debris pile.
"An officer rounded the corner into the alley with the patrol car, the suspect stood up, started walking away and put something in his pocket," said Longmont Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur.
