THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 8, 1996 TAG: 9606080002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 38 lines
Arson is one of the toughest crimes to solve. It is an especially cowardly act, often committed under the cloak of darkness and much of the evidence is usually burned.
So the four relatively quick arrests in the Windsor Oaks Elementary School fires are good news. Virginia Beach school officials and fire investigators worked in concert to canvass the neighborhoods and circulate fliers urging citizens and students to help find the culprits.
How revolting that the four accused arsonists are students at Princess Anne High School, which was nearly burned down just days before school started last September. That fire, which is believed to be unrelated to the Windsor Oaks blazes in May, caused $7 million in damage.
A week prior to these arrests, fire officials predicted that the culprit would be one or more white males between the ages of 12 and 17. If these suspects are guilty of setting the fires, the description fits.
This fire investigation was aided by witnesses who came to authorities with bits of information which, when put together with other pieces, led arson investigators to the homes of four teenage boys living near Windsor Oaks Elementary.
Too often people remain silent when they see something which would help solve crimes in their community.
In this case, civic-minded citizens and tireless investigators worked together. The four suspects are charged with 18 felonies.
Fire investigators said after Wednesday's arrests that the four suspects provided no motive for the crimes and expressed remorse only at being caught - not for destroying three portable classrooms, causing about $150,000 in damage.
But felonies are no laughing matter, as these four boys are about to discover. by CNB