Police have made arrests in nine of the 15 suspicious fires that hit the Homestead-Munhall area between late April and last week.
Allegheny County Police announced the arrest of two suspects Friday, accusing a 16-year-old boy of setting one of them and a Homestead man of setting eight others.
Police said the fire the unidentified boy set is not related to the other suspect’s cases.
Authorities have said 15 fires were set between April 23 and Aug. 5.
“There have been trash and dumpster fires, materials and debris set on fire adjacent to occupied structures, and one vacant structure set on fire,” Inspector Mike Peairs wrote in a news release.
Peairs said the 16-year-old is accused of setting a fire Aug. 2. He has been referred to the juvenile justice system.
Peairs said on Wednesday, Aug. 10, detectives determined that Dustin Jones, 26, of Homestead set eight of the fires.
Jones was arrested and charged with eight counts of arson and criminal mischief. Jones was being held in the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh.
Peairs said the investigation was conducted by the Allegheny County Police General Investigations Unit, Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office, Munhall police, West Homestead police, and Homestead police.
Anyone with information concerning any of these incidents is asked to call the Allegheny County Police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (255-8477). Callers can remain anonymous. The department can also be reached via its social media accounts.
