Identifying Revenge Fires
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FIRE INVESTIGATION
We have all been called on to mitigate or investigate an incendiary fire. And we have all witnessed or read about the telltale signs of such an incident: two or more separate points of fire origin; lateral movement of fire at the base of the V pattern; fire burning downward; burn patterns in a puddle configuration; etc. And we all can recite the six usual motives for criminal fire setting:
- Profit or economic gain (such as insurance fraud)
- Concealment of a crime
- Protest
- Mental affliction (pyromaniacs, psychopathic cases, etc.)
- Vandalism/malicious mischief
- Revenge.
But how many of us are familiar with the precursors of an incendiary fire, with the reasons behind the profit fire, the protest fire, or, more interestingly, the revenge fire? As stated in ELEMENTS OF ARSON INVESTIGATION by Benjamin S, Huron, “Legally it is not necessary to produce a motive but for the investigator this is a necessary ingredient.”
Let’s look into the precursors of the revenge/spite fire motive, which is the most prevalent of all firesetting motives, and evaluate the revenge/spite fire targets, the awareness of which may constitute an investigative aid.
STATISTICAL DATA
Table 1 on page 58 categorizes the different arson motives, not so much in terms of behavioral aspects and overall personality types, but in terms of the state of mind of the perpetrator at the time of the fire incident.
The fact that only 5% of the juveniles studied had revenge as a motive should not lull the investigator into a sense of complacency about the magnitude of the consequences of juvenile revenge motives. For example, a report taken from a documented case reads: “Two 14-year-old boys, looking more like homeless waifs than accused killers, stood before a judge, charged as adults in the deaths of seven people.”
The motive in this case was their need to get revenge against the owners and/or occupants of the building because they could find nothing to steal.
The data presented in Table 2 on page 58 gives the following profile of the “typical” revenge firesetter:
- The primary motive in firesetting behavior is the revenge/ spite motive;
- The phenomenon is predominant in adults under 40 years of age;
- The intelligence quotient (I.Q.) of the firesetter is usually below average;
- A predilection to alcohol consumption is a factor.
Relative to the last item, it is worth noting that drinking is common behavior in situations other than firesetting, such as before going to a funeral, boarding a plane, or marching down the aisle. Some people consume alcohol as a means of stress relief, and the firesetter may be in a personally stressful situation. The information in this table is not intended to convey the idea that these firesetters are classic alcoholics.
THE REVENGE/SPITE FIRE SYNDROME
Since revenge appears to be the leading single fire motive, it would not be unreasonable to assume that it is also, though perhaps to a lesser degree, a component of other motives such as fraud and pyromania when more than one motive will be operating.
It has been suggested that there is a parallel between revenge and pyromania as a motive in that the trigger is uncontrolled emotion. The difference lies in the fact that the revenge fire is a reaction to personal stress and, unlike pyromania, has a specific target. However, in striving for his one specific objective, the firesetter completely disregards the peril and/or losses suffered by others not his target. Therefore, the arson fire as a result of this motive has a much higher potential for life and property loss.
Revenge fires emerge also in the form of religious, political, or ethnic antagonisms. The firesetter uses fire as a weapon to bring attention to a specific cause or somehow right a class wrong.
The modus operandi of the revenge firesetter appears to fall into two categories, depending on the nature of his target:
- Where an individual is the target, the firesetter most frequently uses any available fire starting materials if the incident occurs in a home setting. It is not uncommon, however, for the firesetter to transport flammable liquids to the target’s location in a public place.
- Where groups or religious and political activities are the target, there are often more preplanned fires set with incendiary or explosive devices, the molotov
- cocktail being the most common.
From the myriad studies being made of arson fire motives, some patterns are beginning to emerge. For example, Table 3 on page 58 indicates that the prime time for revenge/spite firesetting is late evening and early morning. There may be several reasons for this. Since arson is a crime of stealth, darkness is an enhancement to the perpetration. This time frame also corresponds to a period in the day when people have discharged their job responsibilities and routine duties and have time to reflect on personal problems. The consumption of alcohol usually goes up, during which time some firesetters may become lonely and focus their emotions on their own problems, real or imagined.
Let’s explore several areas of the revenge/spite fire that heretofore have received insufficient attention in past studies:
- Target analysis;
- Precursors of revenge/spite fires;
- Physical evidence.
TARGET ANALYSIS
By being aware of the type of target firesetters attack, the investigator may be better able to uncover clues as to the fire’s cause and the firesetter’s identity. Revenge fire targets generally fall into three categories:
- Individual targets. With one exception, the initial ignition scenario involves property directly related to the target individual:
- Vehicles owned, driven, or otherwise connected with target person;
- Items of sentimental and extreme value to the target person that would have little value to others;
- Clothing and furniture associated with target person;
- Items of value used exclusively by the target person (such as golf clubs, power tools, books, kitchen appliances, etc.);
- Any property or assembly building where the target individual spends time or is likely to be at the time of ignition.
- Group targets:
- Political groups who constitute ideological adversaries to a temporary social cause;
- Youth groups who must constantly maintain a posture of superiority and control;
- Groups who profess to furthering the cause of racial or ethnic minorities, including foreign immigrants;
- Groups or buildings containing groups with specialized proclivities (such as abortion clinics);
- Labor organizations during times of labor and unemployment strife.
- Governmental agency and private enterprise targets:
- Unemployment, welfare, and other agencies by whom the perpetrator feels he has been wronged;
- Law enforcement and fire protection agencies, since they represent authoritarian functions;
Table 3 INCENDIARY FIRES Motives—Time of Occurrence*
* This table is from the National Ftre Academy’s Learning Resource Center, Subject File 00109 by Captain Charles R. Crabt.
- Banks, schools, and other financial institutions that project the “have” image vis-a-vis the “have not” image;
- Public utilities;
- Any political body representing the establishment to reformers.
PRECURSORS OF THE REVENGE FIRE
The investigator would be better prepared to recognize and solve revenge fire cases if he is aware of activities that could occur prior to a revenge/spite fire. Information sources can range from local gossip and personal knowledge to documented police records.
Remember, the primary function of fire and arson investigation is to accurately determine fire cause in order to obtain knowledge that will assist in preventing future fires. Here are some of the precursors or warning signs that a revenge/spite fire may be imminent:
Juveniles
Previous firesetting behavior
Previous firesetting behavior indicates that the juvenile has firesetting experience, may know how to accomplish his objective, and may have an established rebellious behavior pattern.
Truancy and rebellion
Absences from school provide unsupervised, unproductive time during which a juvenile may be subject to the unhealthy influences of peers or elders. The truancy itself may be a sign of rebellion against the family or the establishment whose will the juvenile perceives as being forced upon him, thus giving him a motive to strike back at authority.
Developmentally disabled/hyperactive
In the disabled/hyperactive category, we find juveniles reeking with self frustration. They know they are different through no fault of their own and their anger and frustration may erupt in one unthinking violent reaction. Their difficulties in concentration, learning, and development of “normal” relationships deprives them of the same values of right and wrong that society expects.
Improper response to discipline
Frequently, the discipline of juveniles within the family unit results in the revocation of privileges or activities that the juvenile is accustomed to. In reaction or in protest, the juvenile may seek to “get even” with the perpetrator, namely mom or dad. The fire may be self-gratifying, serve as a diversion from the original problem, or trigger some positive attention.
Poor interpersonal relations with peers
Poor interpersonal relations with peers falls into two categories:
- The juvenile is on the receiving end of the slings and arrows of his peers or fellow students. He is a non-joiner and is not invited to participate in activities. His reaction to the unjust treatment may vent itself in the form of fire, the target being one of the gang.
- With older juveniles, a subculture develops with its own set of rules and mores. Things are shared and borrowed. Deals are
- made. Turns are taken in buying gas, hamburgers, alcohol, etc. Competition for female companionship becomes fierce. Subculture codes such as “thou shalt not fink” are established. Stories are manufactured to cover each other. Any break in the link of this delicate sociological chain could cause a juvenile to feel wronged. Retribution may take the form of a fire.
Adult
Financial problems
Financial problems become manifested in the form of bounced checks, repossessions, liquidation of assets, bills remanded to an agency for collection, etc. One spouse may assume “You got me into this, so I’ll burn your credit cards” attitude. Knowledge of a suspect’s financial condition can supply clues to a possible motive.
Marital difficulties
It is not uncommon for problems to develop in matrimony. The causative firesetting agent in this case probably takes an extended period of time and exposure to develop. Phrases like “Why don’t you stay home once in a while?” or “Your kids are bugging me!” are indicators of marital discord. An investigator can become aware of this climate through interviews with family members and neighbors.
History of domestic quarrels
Police records often reveal a history or pattern of responses to reports of family fights, disturbing the peace, etc., at particular addresses. The investigator should establish an intelligence relationship with local law enforcement officials to be alert to a potential fire at a target address.
Romance problems
Romance problems can occur in both heterosexual and homosexual situations. The rejection of one partner by another in favor of a third party brings about feelings of inadequacy, rage, inferiority, and, above all, revenge. The stage is set for an arson fire in order to vent these emotions against the perceived miscreants. Gossip can be ammunition for an investigator.
Employment problems
Some people are not stable in their jobs. Suspensions, layoffs, disciplinary action, and demotions are blows to one’s ego. Compensation may be found by retribution for the degrading action, and this can take the form of a revenge fire. If a fire does occur, employers should be questioned extensively relative to past employees. The efficient investigator should stay aware of local labor problems such as layoffs, strikes, etc.
Neighborhood spats
When people live in close proximity to one another, it is not surprising for conflicting life-styles or behaviors to occur. The situation escalates with both parties fabricating the next complaint until someone overacts and a camper or a boat gets burned. A check of police records can indicate that an on-going problem exists.
REVENGE FIRE EVIDENCE
Certain generalizations can be made relative to the physical evidence involved in revenge fires and the investigator should be aware of them.
Property burned
Localized individual target. Normally the property ignited belongs to the target and has high value personally or monetarily (as in a dwelling).
A mobile individual target. The property ignited may be the building in which the target is thought to be, such as a public assembly, the vehicle he is using, or the property of someone he is associated with.
- Group targets. These are usually buildings (banks, utilities, etc.).
Materials used
- Localized individual targets. Ignition materials (paper, matches) are available at the scene.
- Mobile individual or group targets. Flammable liquids may be transported to the scene.
- Residual evidence. In most cases, residual evidence such as containers and devices are normally still on site.
