Visitor, Police, Fire Department and Arson. You just can't make this up!

The crew, who I shall refer to as A and R, showed up this morning to continue the debris removal. The two entered the house and made a quick round of the home. As they stood in the family room, someone came in the house. We have visitors again. In a short conversation, the intruder stated "The owner told me I could come in and take what I wanted." A told him to leave. A then asked R to keep an eye on the guy while he checked out the house. When A entered the back bedroom he saw smoke. There was a small fire in the closet of the bedroom. A ran out the front, shouting at R to put out the fire and ran after the intruder. A followed but the intruder slipped away. They called the police. Then a few minutes later R sees the intruder a street over and goes after him. The intruder ran up a driveway and jumped a fence into a backyard.

The police were now in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, R was asked to put his hands behind his back, but after a short conversation, the police realized he was not the intruder. Being a fire, the fire department came, along with the Fire Inspector who was there to investigate the arson. Yes, ARSON! We came to find out that earlier in the day, a grill from the back yard had been pulled into the driveway and there was a large fire started using paper and gasoline. I have not confirmed, but a neighbor is said to have put it out.

My contractor had called me and in turn I sent my husband over to the house. As he was on his way, the police called him. They had our number from a previous call for intruders in the home. Once he arrived, they were not allowed to enter the home. The fire inspector needed to finish up. Following the all clear, in went the police. Took pictures, gather evidence, took a couple items that A & R had identified as being handled by the intruder.

This evening we made a sweep of the house, buttoned things up, and will be able to tell if anyone has come and gone. The police have placed the home on watch for the next two weeks. We will most likely do a driveby later tonight. Bottom line, any lights in the house and we call the cops.