Arson Charges: Logan Square Man Arrested for Setting Halloween Arson Fires
A 34-year-old man from Logan Square has been arrested and charged with arson after the Chicago Police Department discovered that he had set a Halloween bale of hay on fire on a porch as well as decapitating inflatable figures outside a home in Northwest Chicago neighborhoods that have been affected by a series of arson incidents involving decorations for the holiday season.
Mario Munoz has been accused of setting fire on the 11th of October to a Halloween display that was situated outside a Roscoe Village home. The fire had damaged the decorative bale of hay and had also caused floor and column damage to the porch located in the 2200 block of West Roscoe Street, although no injuries were reported.
In addition to the felony count of arson, Munoz has also been charged with one misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property for an incident that was reported in North Center the day after the Roscoe Village fire. It was the Ring camera that had allegedly captured Munoz in the act of cutting off inflatable Halloween decorations from outside a residence located in the 4100 block of Maplewood Avenue.
Munoz appeared in court on Wednesday, where the judge ordered him to remain in custody during the trial. In just this month alone, it has been reported that there has been at least eight Halloween and autumn decorations found set on fire in the Lincoln Square, North Center, and Roscoe Village neighborhoods.
The police released an alert in the 17th of October where they reported the particular times and locations the fires have occurred in, including the Roscoe porch fire that Munoz has been charged with:
-1:50 a.m. October 4th in the 4600 block of North Lincoln Avenue
-3:48 a.m. October 4th in the 2100 block of West Montrose Avenue
-4 a.m. October 4th in the 4500 block of North Lincoln Avenue
-4:13 a.m. October 7th in the 4600 block of North Lincoln Avenue
-2:58 a.m. October 9th in the 4000 block of North Lincoln Avenue
-3:10 a.m. October 11th in the 2100 block of West Agatite Avenue
-3:43 a.m. October 11th in the 2200 block of West Roscoe Street
-3:27 a.m. October 16th in the 3600 block of North Hoyne Avenue
On Saturday, another porch fire was reported in the 2200 block of West Ainslie Street around 2 a.m. It is still unknown if it is related to the prior incidents or if it is being investigated as possible arson. Fortunately, no one has been injured in any of the fires so far, but it does not stop from causing distress to some of the area’s residents as one woman who lived near the 3600 block of North Hoyne Avenue said that neighbors have taken down their Halloween decorations out of fear of becoming the next victim of the arsonists.
At this time, it remains unclear if m unoz is a suspect in any of the other fires, although police investigations are still ongoing. The communities that have been affected by the fires are encouraged to remain alert and to be sure to report any suspicious activity in the area.
