Arson Suspects Arrested for Car Fires
A group of young individuals acted under the direction of an unknown online “curator,” looking to earn quick money. Investigators have already filed charges against the perpetrators, who could face up to 10 years in prison.
It has been reported that a 19-year-old from the Berezivskyi region and his 18-year-old friend from the Podilskyi region met online with someone who offered them easy money by setting cars on fire. The “employer” claimed to be a collector willing to pay for destroying the property of debtors.
After agreeing, the accomplices began taking pictures of cars on the streets of Odesa, sending the images to the “curator,” who chose which ones to burn. They then purchased flammable liquids, set the cars on fire at night, filmed the “report,” and fled.
They set fire to two vehicles, a “BMW” and a “Renault,” in the Khadzhybey district, belonging to local residents.
After not receiving all promised payments, the young men decided to stop “working,” but the “curator” began to blackmail them, threatening to report their actions to the authorities. While hiding at home, the younger suspect agreed to another job and set fire to a “Nissan” belonging to a local woman, which subsequently ignited a nearby “Renault Logan.”
Fortunately, no one was harmed. The fires were extinguished by firefighters. The amount of damages caused to the vehicle owners is being determined.
Police arrested one of the suspects at his residence after the last fire, and the other was located in Mykolaiv region.
Currently, investigators have charged both young men with intentional destruction of property by arson as part of a group. According to the law, they could face up to 10 years in prison.
The court has decided on pre-trial detention and home arrest. The investigation continues under the supervision of the prosecutor's office, with police working to establish all circumstances of the crimes and checking the suspects for involvement in similar offenses.
