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View Full Version : Fire bug in my S. Calif. neighborhood!



Mom2Shaun
10-24-2007, 12:11 PM
I live south of Los Angeles, and I'm backed up against a giant empty field, which has burned 3 or 4 times in the 16 yrs. I've lived here. What really makes me nervous now is that we have a fire nut living 2 houses down from me. I caught him 3x's last summer, burning the weeds in back of his house, burning them as they grew out of the ground! I yelled at him to put the fire out immediately, and the 3rd time, I told him that it is illegal to have any kind of uncontained fire in Los Angeles county, and he would get a huge fine and/or jail next time. He got pretty scared and just ran in his house. He did it again, twice, 2 weeks ago. I didn't catch him the first time (but my neighbor told me about it). But the next time, I yelled, and he said, "It's just a checkbook!" Like it makes a difference what it is - it's still something lying on the ground, burning! And he always does it when there are either big fires or fire warnings, and he does it around 4:00PM, when the evening breezes start up.

I have called the Fire Dept., the Sheriff's Dept., Fire Prevention, and the police, and they ALL say there's nothing they can do unless they see him do it. They say next time he does it, I shouldn't say anything, but just call them. But he sees me, and he knows he's in trouble, so he always douses it and runs in the house. I'm very nervous, because that field is as dry as can be.

This guy seems strange. He's about 30, lived with his Mom until she moved out of the house, so now he's there by himself. He doesn't seem to have a job and just seems to hang out all the time. His backyard is a mess, full of weeds and old truck tires (and this is a very nice neighborhood!). I finally talked to my neighbor across the street, who has her daughter and very large son-in-law living with her. She said she would have her son-in-law go talk to this guy, thank God! I hope it works. I don't know what else I can do. I hate to get too much more into this guy's face, because I don't want him setting my house or yard on fire. My DH is over-seas, so I live here with my 10yr. old, mildly autistic son, and I have enough on my mind without this.

buttrfli
10-24-2007, 12:22 PM
Thats weird that the authorities have to see him commit a crime before they do anything about it. You would think that since you were a witness, that would be good enough!

Keep a camera with you and hopefully you can snap a pic of the ass trying to burn stuff....

Has anyone seen/read The Stand by Stephen King?? When I read this post, all I could think about was the Trashcan Man! :eek:

BigLyd1
10-24-2007, 12:24 PM
Oh, great, just what you need. :getyou That's scary.

JKATHERINE
10-24-2007, 01:46 PM
I agree with Teri. If you have a camera or better, a video camera, get him on tape. That's proof enough so that if the cops can't get there in time to catch him, they'll have evidence.

ahippiechic
10-24-2007, 01:53 PM
Thats weird that the authorities have to see him commit a crime before they do anything about it. You would think that since you were a witness, that would be good enough!

Keep a camera with you and hopefully you can snap a pic of the ass trying to burn stuff....

Has anyone seen/read The Stand by Stephen King?? When I read this post, all I could think about was the Trashcan Man! :eek:

ME TOO!

Mom2Shaun
10-24-2007, 04:18 PM
Isn't The Stand that book about the disease that wipes everyone out? I read it years ago, and I can't remember much except the scene where the protagonists have to walk thru the Holland tunnel! Yech! That pretty much turned me off to Stephen King novels!

ahippiechic
10-24-2007, 04:39 PM
Isn't The Stand that book about the disease that wipes everyone out? I read it years ago, and I can't remember much except the scene where the protagonists have to walk thru the Holland tunnel! Yech! That pretty much turned me off to Stephen King novels!

Yeah, most everyone dies from the flu.

iluvmybaby
10-24-2007, 05:54 PM
She also might be talking about Trashcan Man, the firebug who cronically lites things on fire/blows things up

ladybugva
10-25-2007, 08:51 PM
that's scary w/ all that is going on. He sounds like he has "issues" like chemical or something and prob. needs to be on meds. Try to get a pict. of him next time if you can to show the cops.

mosdata1
10-27-2007, 09:59 PM
Maybe you can contact someone in the local press - this might 'shame' law enforcement to watch out for him.