Police suspect arson in string of Plainfield fires
By BRIAN STANLEY Bstanley@stmedianetwork.com January 10, 2012 4:26PM
A townhouse is boarded up Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, following a Jan. 7 fire in the 16700 block of Hazelwood Drive in Plainfield. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
Updated: February 12, 2012 8:14AM
Investigators believe the same person has set five vehicles on fire on the same block in southwest suburban Plainfield in the last three weeks, including one blaze that spread to a nearby townhouse.
“They are all very similar in nature and (began under) very suspicious circumstances,” Plainfield police Sgt. Mike Fisher said.
As a result, the department has increased patrols in the 16000 block of Hazelwood Drive, police said.
The most recent fire started around 2:30 a.m. Saturday in a vehicle parked inside a garage where the door was left open. The fire spread to the attached townhouse and caused significant damage.
The residents of the home were inside when the fire broke out, but were able to escape without injury.
About halfway down the block, two more vehicles were set on fire in adjacent driveways about the same time as the townhouse fire, Chief John Konopek said.
In addition, a vehicle parked in a driveway was set on fire around 10 a.m. Christmas Day and a car parked on the street was set ablaze around 2 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
“These have been crimes of opportunity because all of the vehicles were left unlocked,” Fisher said. “We cannot urge residents enough to lock their cars if they can’t park them inside.”
Anyone with information about the arsonist is asked to call (815) 267-7209.
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