Risk Factors for Automotive Arson

There are a number of risk factors that may be indicative of an increased likelihood of vehicular arson. These include:

• Event occurs in summer months between 8PM and 2AM
• Often set out of view
• Owner behind on payments
• Major repairs needed to vehicle
• Evidence that car did not operate before fire
• Reported stolen, but sound system, wheels, and other items of value present and intact
• Reported stolen but key found in car
• Not reported stolen but stripped
• Tires/wheels not appropriate for car and/or don’t match owner’s statement
• Lug nuts not tight
• No evidence of personal property claimed to be in the car at time of fire
• Evidence of accelerant containers in vehicle or area of fire
• Damage to vehicle body, perhaps from hit and run collision

These risk factors alone obviously do not constitute sufficient reason to declare arson as the cause. The investigator must consider the consistency of circumstantial and physical evidence, as well as witness statements, before making the determination of arson. Unlike accidental fires, the difficulty with arson is that the perpetrator will often attempt to obscure the cause of fire, sometimes with sophisticated means.