(Lawrenceville, Ga., August 12, 2019) – Fire Investigators are seeking help from the public to identify the person responsible for setting a vehicle on fire in the driveway of a residence in the 500 block of Summerstone Lane in unincorporated Lawrenceville.

According to the Fire Investigators, someone broke out a side window on the back of a 2017 Jeep Wrangler and ignited a fire in the passenger compartment. The fire burned itself out, but not before it caused extensive heat and smoke damage to the interior of the vehicle.

The vehicle owner discovered the damage mid-morning on Thursday, July 18, 2019 and called Gwinnett Police to file a report. The Criminal Investigations Division alerted Fire Investigators based on the suspicious circumstances. It is believed that the fire was set sometime late in the night on July 17 or the early-morning hours of July 18. Fire trucks were not summoned to the scene because there was no active fire. So as not to jeopardize the criminal case, Fire Investigators are not releasing specific information about how the fire was started or a possible motive. The vehicle was parked close to the house where unsuspecting occupants were asleep inside the residence.

The image below captured by a camera in the neighborhood, shows what is thought to be the suspect’s vehicle, a red early 2000s Jeep Liberty, driving down the street. 

Anyone with information about the fire or the person responsible is asked to contact the Gwinnett Fire Investigations Section at 678-518-4890 or the Georgia Arson Control Hotline at 1-800-282-5804. Georgia Arson Control, Inc. offers a REWARD of UP TO $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for arson. All tips may be made anonymously.

Prevent the crime of arson by staying alert to your surroundings and reporting suspicious activity to the police immediately by calling 911. Keep exterior areas well-lit and be sure to secure all personal property. Arson places innocent people in danger and causes needless property damage. Arson is a serious felony crime and is punishable by imprisonment and associated fines.