Crime & Safety
Serial Arsonist: Fremont Police Make Arrest
Police used home security cameras to identify a suspect vehicle. Officers followed the car and, they say, watched a man set a fire.
FREMONT, CA — A Fremont man was arrested Tuesday morning for being involved in at least four residential arson cases, police said.
According to Fremont police, 44-year-old Roshan Patel set garage doors of various Fremont homes on fire at least four times since the beginning of this month.
Three homes located on Castro Lane, Cougar Circle and Hoyt Street were targeted; the house on Cougar Circle was targeted twice in as many days.
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Officers located private residential camera footage that provided a description of the suspect vehicle and eventually obtained the vehicle's license plate number.
Detectives began following Patel and, around 2:45 a.m. Tuesday, they found him targeting the same house previously targeted on Hoyt Street.
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According to police, Patel quickly exited his vehicle and began pouring liquid on a parked car. Patel was able to ignite the fire by the time detectives contacted and arrested him on suspicion of arson.
Detectives used a nearby garden hose to extinguish the car fire. Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact Detective Travis MacDonald at (510) 790-6900 or tmacdonald@fremont.gov.
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