Firebug finds new targets
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1827929.htmPolice say an arsonist responsible for a number of fires around Harrogate in the Adelaide Hills now appears to be lighting fires further afield at places like Nairne and Mount Barker.
It is believed the firebug has lit 21 fires in the past few weeks.
Superintendent Tom Rieniets says about 20 police are currently patrolling the area.
He says a team of 10 detectives and intelligence officers working on catching the arsonist has been enlarged.
"We've thrown an additional 10 detectives and five intel people into the mix to assist with the investigations that are ongoing," he said.
"We're currently looking at a number of persons of interest and they're being spoken to over today and tomorrow as we speak."
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http://au.news.yahoo.com/070116/23/12364.htmlTuesday January 16, 06:55 PM
Five suspects in search for firebug
By 7News Police have revealed they are interviewing five men as they search for the Adelaide Hills firebug.
They have also doubled the number of detectives working on the case and have found a new use for speed cameras.
Country Fire Service crews and police patrols were highly visible throughout the Hills today.
But they were especially visible near Harrogate, where there have been as many as 30 reports of deliberately lit fires in recent weeks.
Watchful residents have provided police with 150 reports of suspicious activity and today the man in charge of the hunt revealed the list of suspects had been narrowed down to five.
"The detectives are actually speaking to those people as i speak and that will be ongoing for the next day or so," Superintendent Tom Rieniets said.
The suspects are aged between 18 and 60.
"It's life imprisonment if they're convicted of some of these offences, that's the risk that they run," Supt Rieniets said.
An additional 10 detectives and five intelligence officers have been assigned to the case, bringing the task force total to 25.
Also being used are speed cameras, which log the registration plate of every passing car.
Any one of them could place suspects near the scene of a fire.
The CFS was already on standby at Woodside for most of the day.
Then late this afternoon, they received the call for fixed wing aircraft and heli-bombers to take off.
Thankfully, that smoke sighting and several others proved to be nothing to worry about.
