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Sunbury Police Search for Arsonist

SUNBURY — Authorities in Sunbury are looking for an arsonist. Although they didn’t cause much damage, the fires have neighbors on edge. Police belie...

SUNBURY -- Authorities in Sunbury are looking for an arsonist. Although they didn't cause much damage, the fires have neighbors on edge.

Police believe one man is responsible for setting four fires within an hour Sunday morning in Sunbury. Homeowners assessed damage done and are furious that someone walked down their street, set fires, and then walked away.

The siding on a home on North 7th street in Sunbury has melted and debris is scattered in the front lawn.

Police said someone started a fire on the porch. They believe the same person started three other fires within a few blocks of the house around the same time.

"I look out the window and I saw the big orange, you know, lights. I ran out and sure enough it was on fire," said Amber Walker of Sunbury.

Walker lives next door. She said she saw the fire at her neighbor's house and then noticed another fire on a porch down the street.

"It was just terrifying," said Walker.

A neighbor's surveillance camera caught someone lighting both porches on fire.

"We definitely know it's a white male. He was wearing dark clothes at the time," said Sunbury Police Chief Brad Hare.

A couple blocks over from the porch fires, plants in a flower bed on Reagan Street are burnt. Police said someone took a helmet out of Jospeh Stutzman's garage, set it on fire, and left it in front of his house.

"I swung the door open, grabbed the hose, and ran over there about the same time the police officer was putting it out with the fire extinguisher," said Stutzman.

Stutzman has put up surveillance cameras and an alarm since the fire.

"I realize you can't trust anybody like you could when I was a kid," said Stutzman.

"You can't just go around lighting people's property on fire and not expect to go to jail," said Talon Tucker from Sunbury.

"This guy, like I said, he has no concern for persons or properties," said Hare.

Police said the arsonist used a grill lighter or a torch to start the fires. Sunbury police are asking neighbors to keep an eye out and to contact police if they see suspicious behavior.

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