West Minnehaha

City Announces Arson Reward Fund

Oct 24, 2000

News Release Contact: Dave Sauerbrey, Fire Marshal
(360) 759-4410

October 24, 2000, 10 a.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City announces arson reward fund

Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard, City Manager Pat McDonnell, Fire Chief Don Bivins and Police Chief Stan Reeves today announced that the City of Vancouver will guarantee a minimum $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the rash of arson fires that began over three weeks ago in Vancouver and Hazel Dell.
?“The property damage to date is over one half million dollars, and that is bad enough,?” stated Mayor Pollard. ?“However, our greatest fear is that the next fire will result in serious injury or, God forbid, the loss of life.?” The Mayor added, ?“We want this person stopped and we hope this reward will contribute to a speedy resolution to this terrible arson spree. Someone out there knows something that could help us and we hope this reward will help bring that information forward.?”
?“Over $2,000 has already been donated to this reward fund by interested parties,?” noted the Mayor. ?“With this announcement, the City will step in and guarantee that the reward is at least $10,000 and I hope that additional donations will push the reward over that amount.?”
Fire Chief Don Bivins called this string of fires ?“the worst series of arsons in the history of our City. We?’re pulling out all the stops to bring it to an end.?” Bivins noted that a multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplined task force comprised of city and county police and fire personnel, joined by federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents, ?“are working hand-in-glove to find this arsonist?”. Bivins added, ?“The turfs and titles have no meaning in this joint effort that represents an unprecedented show of force and unity.?”

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Police Chief Stan Reeves called upon every citizen of Vancouver to ?“help us bring this rash of fires to an end before someone is hurt.?” Chief Reeves added, ?“Often in these serial arsons there?’s escalating damage and risk to life. We want this string of arsons to end before it escalates beyond property damage.?”
Reeves also noted, ?“I can assure the citizens of Vancouver that an unprecedented effort is being made to find the person or persons responsible. However, as is often the case, it is a piece of information that comes from a private citizen that provides the real break. We?’re looking for that piece of information, and anyone with information is urged to contact us at (360) 759-4412.?”
Anyone interested in contributing to the reward fund can contact Stan Girt at the Vancouver Police Department by calling (360) 696-8040.

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City of Vancouver Public Affairs Services - (360) 696-8036 - FAX (360) 696-8049
e-mail: vaninfo@ci.vancouver.wa.us ?– www.ci.vancouver.wa.us
Arson reward fund.doc