DETROIT (WWJ) - A man suspected of setting more than ten fires in Detroit was caught in he act and arrested by police after a year-long arson spree terrorized Virginia Park and surrounding neighborhoods, authorities announced on Friday.
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Andrael Davis, 31, is facing ten counts of arson after undercover police busted Davis as he was setting fire to the garage of a previously burned property in Detroit on Feb. 10.
While detectives were investigating the case, they found evidence that tied Davis to a series of fires at other locations around the city's eastside.
Authorities said Davis may be responsible for even more arson cases.
The announcement of Davis' arrest comes on the heels of a 12-month-long investigation conducted by the Detroit Fire Department's arson unit into several fires around the city.
Police and firefighters were first aware of suspicious fires in the Virginia Park neighborhood at the beginning of 2021 when 13 building fires and 31 other fires broke out; authorities could not determine a cause for either case.
The arson unit opened a full-blown investigation into the fires in march of 2021. Davis first encounter with authorities in the same month after he was arrested for setting fire to a fence and a trash can -- he was charged with two lesser criminal acts of arson.
Authorities said Davis popped on their radar again the very next month, when police caught him setting fire to another trash can on Seven Mile Rd. and Hoover in April 2021. When police went to arrest Davis, he became violent and assaulted officers.
Another series of suspicious fires broke out in December of 2021, leading the Fire Investigation Unit to conduct surveillance operations that further uncovered Davis' arson spree in February of this year.
Interim Detroit Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms hoped the announcement of Davis' arrest will bring a sense of closure to the people who have lived in fear over the last 12 months.
“For the past year the Virginia Park has been on edge as major efforts are being made to revitalize the community,” Simms said.
“It’s my hope that the arrest of Mr. Davis will bring peace of mind to the residents here and allow the neighborhood’s revitalization efforts to flourish. This was great work between the Fire Department, Police Department to bring this investigation to closure.”
Davis was initially charged with only one count of arson upon his arrest, but once authorities uncovered his ties to multiple other fires, evidence was submitted the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and warrants were approved for the additional charges.
Davis was arraigned Friday morning on five felony counts and five misdemeanors and is being held at the Wayne County Jail.
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