Woman charged with torching house after eviction
UPPER DARBY >> Township police have arrested a woman who alleged set fire to her former home, and an arrest is imminent of a juvenile alleged to have stolen surveillance cameras from various homes in the township, authorities said.
Tracey Davis, 29, reportedly of the 1700 block of Dounton Street in Philadelphia, surrendered to police last week after she allegedly set fire to a home in the first block of North Keystone Avenue just after midnight on July 7. She allegedly called the homeowner, who had earlier evicted her, to say that she did it. Davis turned herself into Philadelphia police on July 7 and was transported to Upper Darby Police Headquarters on July 10 according to Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.
Davis was preliminarily arraigned on five felony charges including arson for setting fire to the home with charges of causing catastrophe, burglary, criminal trespassing and criminal mischief applied. Four misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person have also been filed in the case. Davis was remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility on July 10 for failing to post $100,000 cash bail.
An affidavit of probable cause says David set fire to the front, second-floor bedroom of the residence, possibly using an accelerant. The homeowner told police that night that she called him saying, “I told you I would get you back, I just lit the house up!,” according to the affidavit.
There were no injuries reported and the fire was contained just to that residence.
Davis is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on July 22.
In another case Upper Darby police were investigating, Chitwood said an arrest was expected Monday weeks after a person was caught in the act stealing surveillance cameras from residents in the Drexel Hill section of the township.
Chitwood said a 14-yearold male from Philadelphia has been identified and is expected to turn himself in to police Monday night. Police were initially trying to identify a young girl in her teens or early 20s in the crimes that occurred throughout June based on camera footage.
The surveillance cameras affixed to residences in the 2500 block of Stonybrook Lane, the 2300 block of Bond Avenue and the 900 block of Argyle Road were ripped off their buildings between June 7 and June 24. A young girl pictured riding a bike in one of the camera captures, originally thought to be part of the crime spree, has not been pursued further by police.
The cameras have not yet been recovered by police. The juvenile will be charged for five separate thefts that took place at these locations.
Because there was no force or weapon used in the incidents, the teenager will not be charged as an adult. His name will not be released by police because he is a juvenile. Chitwood did say his mother lives in the township.