Eyes Out for the South Bay Firebug

South Bay investigators are trying to track down a firebug who, they say, has set more than a dozen fires since May. Nine of those fires all happened on the same morning -- Sept. 1.

The same man is believed to be connected to a string of fires in four separate incidents resulting in 15 fires within an area in Sunnyvale bordered by Fair Oaks, Arbutus, Grand Fir and Garland avenues, and police said the fires are growing in number and severity.

Most of the fires have been set to outside debris, dumpsters and vehicles. But, police say, the arsonist last week set a car on fire while someone was sleeping in the vehicle. Rescue crews pulled the person out of the car just before the interior went up in flames.

Police say the firebug, who was seen in the area of the Sept.  1 fires, as a Hispanic man 19 to 20 years old, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with a slender build.

Anyone with information about the fires is asked to call the  city's fire prevention unit at 408-730-7212, e-mail fireprevention@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us or send an anonymous text or e-mail to  svtip@tipnow.org.
    

Contact Us