Friday, September 07, 2007

Man fearing burglars sets parents' home on fire

A man told police that he set his parents' home on fire Wednesday afternoon to chase away burglars he claimed were creeping around the attic.

The man, in his 20s, used a torch-like device to try to chase away people he thought he heard in the attic of the North Side home on Grenadier Way, police said.

The man ended up setting the roof on fire, but firefighters later extinguished the blaze. No one was injured.

Officers said no intruders were found in the home and the man could face charges depending on his mental health.

"If we (are) able to determine (it was a) drug-induced bad trip, (he will) probably face arson (charges)," Sgt. Brian Custard said. "If this is a mental issue that's ongoing, there's no culpability, so (there) wouldn't be any charges."

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