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Arsons in Auburn

State police in Schuylkill County said Monday an arsonist is on the loose after two recent fires in the same community. People are wondering who could be next. ...
schyl arsons 2-20

State police in Schuylkill County said Monday an arsonist is on the loose after two recent fires in the same community.

People are wondering who could be next.

A vacant house in Auburn has tape around it because it is considered a crime scene.

Police said someone set fire to the back porch Saturday night. It is the second arson in about two weeks.

Officials said the first intentionally set damaged a garage so bad it had to be demolished.

"The people are worried about it and who wouldn't be?" asked Doug Naftzinger. He runs an auto parts business in Auburn. He is so concerned that he patrols the community at night. "I try to drive a different route so they don't know who it is and hopefully we catch something because they're all in a block in a block of each other and it looks like it's old structures they light on fire and now they lit a house and I hope they don't light a house with people in it."

Recently council disbanded the police department. That was done before Councilwoman Janet Croneberger assumed her post.

"I hope it doesn't continue but being we don't have a police officer anymore we really don't a deterrent anymore for someone that wants to do foolish things," Croneberger said.

Mayor Barbara Burke said she was against eliminating the police department and said council did it as a money saving move.

"I think that maybe people are trying to show us that we should have kept our police department. I don't know who would be doing that," Mayor Burke said.

State police ask anyone with information about the arsons to call them. They suggest people in Auburn remain vigilant.

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