Saturday, Jul. 12, 2008

Bibb arson spike blamed on poor economy

As Bibb County experiences a 20-year high in arsons - which have peaked during the last four months - fire officials say the uptick could be linked to people burning their gas-guzzling vehicles.

Investigators are seeing a lot of car fires that could be linked to insurance fraud, said Macon-Bibb County fire Capt. Tom Musselwhite. "They're burning them because they can't afford the gas," he said, adding that he's seen more arsons during the last year than he has seen since becoming an arson investigator in 1989. "This increase in arson is mainly due to the economy and people are taking advantage of it."

T.C. McCarthy, a Macon-based regional special investigations unit manager for Geico Insurance, said insurance companies are seeing more car arsons industrywide.

"Times are tough," McCarthy said Friday, adding his investigators are seeing people with monthly car payments as steep as $900 resorting to arson.

"These cars are getting 12 or 13 miles to the gallon and they can't sell them," he said. "They can't get rid of them."

McCarthy said many of the burned vehicles are high-end large sport utility vehicles.

The increase in arsons prompted Geico to train all of its investigators to better understand damage caused by fires and explosions, McCarthy said.

"We're focusing a lot of attention to our investigations," he added.

If a car is determined to have been intentionally burned for fraudulent purposes, McCarthy said, Geico won't pay the claim.

Instead, he said insurers industrywide are supporting law enforcement more aggressively and taking action against fraudulent claims.

Musselwhite said he's also seeing a good number of houses set ablaze.

Insurers across the state have voiced concerns that with the rising number of homes in foreclosure, fraudulent claims linked to arson could also rise, said David Colmans, executive director of the Georgia Insurance Information Service trade group that represents insurers in the state.

"They're very aware and they've been watching closely," Colmans said. "This is something that's of concern."

The punishment for arson, even encouraging someone or aiding in the crime, can be as much as 15 years in prison, Musselwhite said.

Under Georgia law, people who attempt arson can be viewed in the same light as people who actually burn something, he said.

"Anything above $25 is chargeable arson," Musselwhite said.

Anyone with information about an arson is asked to call the state Arson Tip hot line at 1 (800) 282-5804. Rewards of up to $10,000 may be paid for information resulting in the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for planning or committing arson in Georgia.

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398.