"Community Meeting" Wednesday on Fires

The Clayton Police Department, which is offering a reward of $20,000 for help in solving a series of suspected arsons that has destroyed six homes in recent months, has scheduled a "Community Meeting" Wednesday, May 12 to talk with local residents about the fires.

The meeting will be held at Powhatan Elementary School at 3145 Vinson Road from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.

"Officials from the Clayton Police Department, Clayton Fire Department, State Bureau of Investigation and others will be available to discuss and receive information regarding the incidents of arson at several construction sites that have occurred since October 31, 2009," according to a notice from Chief Glen Allen. "An open forum format will provide residents an opportunity to come anytime between 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm and talk individually with officials about the fires. While law enforcement cannot discuss specifics of ongoing criminal investigations, the meeting will allow for a general overview of the investigations and provide an opportunity to get information about the illegal fires and rewards that are offered. Clayton Police and Fire personnel will also offer crime and fire prevention tips as well as details about forming a Neighborhood Watch program."  

A 13-year-old Clayton youth has been charged with Breaking & Entering and Burning of a Building Under Construction, both felonies, in connection with an early morning fire in April that destroyed a local day care center. The youth, whose name was not released, is still in custody.  

The other fires all involved homes under construction---two on Cameo Court last October and one of them again last December, two on Rolling Meadows in January and two more May 2 on Skygrove Drive. Police believe all the home fires are related "because they have a lot of similarities."  

"We've got an active investigation going, and we could use some information from the public to assist us," said Chief Allen. "We're hoping that maybe a large sum of money might prompt someone to come forward. No matter how insignificant someone might think their information might be, it could be useful in fitting together the pieces of this puzzle."  

The large reward--$5,000 each from the Police Department, Clayton CrimeStoppers, the NC Governor's office and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms--is available for information resulting in an arrest and conviction in the case.

The Chief said investigators have logged more than a thousand hours on the case since the first suspicious fire and plan to continue their efforts "until we solve these cases--all of them."  

Police are asking residents to report any suspicious activity by calling the Department at 919-553-4611 or anonymously on the CrimeStoppers hotline at 919-359-8479.