| 08/17/2007 |
| 3 Branford teenagers held in rash of blazes |
| Mark Zaretsky , Register Staff |
| Three Branford teenagers entered Superior Court in New Haven Thursday charged with arson in connection with two suspicious fires that broke out in Branford last November — by the time they left the courthouse they had also been charged with starting a third suspicious fire in East Haven the same week, police said. East Haven police served the arrest warrants for the Nov. 19, 2006, fire that destroyed a house on 150 Short Beach Road in East Haven as the teens, all 18, were being arraigned on charges related to early morning fires the same day at 37 Woodvale Road and the former In-Shape Fitness building at 131 Commercial Parkway in Branford, said East Haven Police Lt. Joseph Slane. Additional arrests are imminent in connection with two other fires in Branford — one involving a commercial building and one involving the fire bombing of a house, said Branford police Lt. Kevin Halloran. The arrests resulted from a nine-month, coordinated investigation by the Branford Fire Department and the Branford and East Haven Police departments into a string of five suspicious fires in Branford and East Haven in November, said Halloran. The suspects all were 17 at the time of the incidents. Police did not release their identities because they have youthful offender status. Police charged the three with two counts each of second-degree arson, conspiracy to commit second-degree arson, third-degree burglary and conspiracy in connection with the Branford fires, said Halloran. They were each held in lieu of $100,000 bail and arraigned Thursday in Superior Court in New Haven, he said. They later were charged with one count each of second degree arson, third degree burglary, conspiracy to commit second degree arson and conspiracy to commit third degree burglary and held on additional bonds of $50,000 each in connection with the East Haven fire, which took place near the East Haven-Branford border, said Slane. Mark Zaretsky can be reached at mzaretsky@nhregister.com or 789-5722. |
| İNew Haven Register 2007 |