CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — The Chesapeake Fire Marshal’s Office released blink video footage Friday of a recent attempted home arson. Anyone with any information on this is encouraged to contact officials.
The video shows one of at least two attempted arson cases in the 1800 block of Hearthside Court, in the Indian River area. The incidents occurred on Dec. 19 and Jan. 5 in the early morning hours. Footage from the December incident showed two suspects fleeing the scene, officials said.
10 On Your Side spoke with one man who said both incidents happened at his grandma’s house.
He went on to say during the first arson case, the suspects set her car on fire.
One neighbor declined to show his face or air his name, but told 10 On Your Side his mom was the first one to tell him about the arson.
“When she told me it was like, who would want to mess with her because she’s old,” he said. “She’s been out here for a long time. So, like I said nobody bothers her, she doesn’t bother anybody. The only time you’ll see her is if she’s like taking her trash out and go back in the house but, I don’t know it’s just crazy. It’s real wild for somebody to like mess with her because she’s old.”
He said while the neighborhood is no stranger to crime, this was still surprising.
“Well since I moved out here it’s been incident after incident, but it kind of died down, so for this to pick back up is kind of crazy,” he said.
After the crimes, neighbors are already trying to protect themselves such as purchasing Ring cameras.
“My mom said she was definitely about to get her one because I told her, ‘You need to get a Ring camera because nobody’s going to be messing with you.'” the neighbor said. “But I know a lot of my neighbors were talking about it.”
He called what the suspects did ridiculous.
“I just feel like it’s stupid,” the neighbor said. “Just leave people alone and just do what you’ve got to do. Just leave them alone.”
According to the Fire Marshal’s Office, the suspects used a rock and a cinder block to break glass while trying to throw a molotov cocktail through the window. The rock was thrown on Dec. 19, and the cinder block was used during the Jan. 5 incident.
This video of a suspect caught on a home camera shows the moment the molotov cocktail hit a house on Jan. 5.
One subject appears to be wearing black jeans with a white design near the pocket, dark blue jacket with hood, black shoes and black baseball hat. The subject fled the scene on foot headed toward Allison Drive.
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.
