A Delaware County Sheriff's Department arson task force was already working on eight suspicious building fires and four incidents of vandalism involving arson when two buildings in Sidney Center were torched early Thursday morning.
Undersheriff Douglas Vredenburgh said the task force was put together to investigate a series of fires in unoccupied buildings and vandalism incidents that had been ruled incendiary or arson, and/or cause and origin unknown.
The fires began in April and include the following incidents:
April 3, 4 a.m., seasonal residence on county Highway 29 in Jefferson, just over the Schoharie County line, incendiary.
April 16, 11:15 p.m., seasonal residence on Chambers Hollow in Hamden, undetermined cause.
April 17, 7:30 p.m., seasonal residence on Burt Aikens Road in Hamden, undetermined cause.
May 7, 9:30 p.m., seasonal residence on Strange Way Lane in New Kingston, undetermined cause.
June 10, 10:45 p.m., house on Meredith Street in Delhi, incendiary.
June 19, 1:08 a.m., house on state Route 28 in Meridale, incendiary.
July 31, criminal mischief and vandalism to a bulldozer in Harpersfield near the intersection of Streeter Hill Road and Champlin Road.
Sept. 11, 2:35 a.m., seasonal residence on Scotch Hill Road off Webster Brook Road in Kortright, unknown origin.
Sept. 11, 4:09 a.m., Elk Creek Road near the intersection of Turnpike Road in Meredith, suspicious, origin undetermined.
Sept. 11, three incidents of vandalism to excavating equipment in three gravel pits in locations on county Route 18 in Bloomville and Roses Brook Road in Kortright. Attempts were made to set fire to the equipment after it was damaged.
Oct. 2, 4 a.m., Sidney Center United Methodist Church at the intersection of Main Street and Franklin Depot Road, incendiary.
Oct. 2, 4:20 a.m., barn on Road Thirteen, Sidney Center fire district, incendiary.
The findings that the fires were intentionally set were made by a task force led by the Delaware County Department of Emergency Services and Sheriff's Office, with the support of state police and state Office of Fire Prevention working at the scenes.
Vredenburgh said the fires had been clustered in an area to the south and east of Delhi until the Sidney Center incidents Thursday. The previous fires had all involved uninhabited residences in isolated rural areas, so the arson at the church in a hamlet was unexpected.
"It's gone to a different level," Vredenburgh said. "What is the motive?"
He said there have been some things found at the sites of the fires that indicate the same person may be involved in all of them.
"We don't have evidence to link one fire to another, and we can't definitely say they are all the work of one person," Vredenburgh said Friday. "But there are indications that they are all connected."
A pickup truck has been seen in the vicinity of two of the fires, he said.
Vredenburgh is asking that people be "particularly vigilant and aware of their surroundings" to help prevent future fires and determine who is responsible for the fires.
"If you notice anyone acting strange day or night around any buildings contact the sheriff's department," Vredenburgh said.
He said the arsonist may be checking out future targets or could return to the scene of the fires days later.
Anyone with any information or who hears or sees anything suspicious is asked to call 746-2336 extension 0 or (888) 914-9111 immediately.
"Don't hesitate," Vredenburgh said. "If it feels or looks wrong, just call." Vredenburgh said if someone witnesses someone actually starting a fire they should call 911.
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Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
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