Reward paid in Hall Co. arson; help sought in another

GAINESVILLE - During a recent ceremony at Hall County Fire Department headquarters, the Georgia Arson Control Board presented an anonymous Hall County resident with a $6,000 check for information provided to the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office that led to the arrest and conviction of an arsonist.

This is the largest check a Hall County resident has ever received. To protect the individual, neither the case nor any details about the investigation were
released.

"This goes to show that doing the right thing matters and that it will be rewarded," Hall County Fire Marshal Capt. Scott Cagle said. "Sometimes even with all of the evidence we collect, we still need the assistance of our residents."

Since 2008, the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office has made 17 arrests with 16
convictions.

"I am very proud of the staff in the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office,"
Cagle said. "With the crime of arson, it is very difficult to gather enough evidence to make an arrest, much less a conviction. We thank Hall County residents for their help in this achievement."

The Georgia Arson Control Program, Inc. (GAC) was formed in January 1979 by
property and casualty insurers writing business in Georgia. GAC, with the cooperation of the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Insurance and Safety Fire and state/local law enforcement agencies, established an Arson Hotline. A reward fund was initiated from which monetary rewards are given to individuals who come forward with information resulting in the arrest and conviction of arsonists. All rewards are based on a case by case scenario and vary in amounts up to $10,000.

HELP SOUGHT IN ANOTHER ARSON FIRE

The Hall County Fire Marshal's Office would also like to ask for the public's help in another fire just confirmed to be arson. The fire occurred on August 28, 2011, at 5511 Water Wood Drive and destroyed a mobile home.

"The Fire Marshal's Office and insurance investigator have ruled out other possible causes, so we feel this to be a deliberately set fire," Cagle said. "We are encouraging anyone with information regarding this fire to call the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office or the Georgia Arson Control Board. Any information given will be kept confidential."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/10/242441