CAPE'S ALLEGED TEEN TORCHER FACES BURNING ACCUSATIONS

A 15-year-old boy described as Cape Girardeau's most long-sought arsonist has been taken into custody, a police spokesman said.

The boy is believed responsible for setting 11 fires in 1998 in cars, trash bins and a dog house, Lt. Carl Kinnison said.

Authorities withheld the suspect's name because of his age.

He was cited into juvenile court for nine allegations of knowingly burning property, one of attempted arson and one of second-degree arson. He also is accused of three thefts, police said.

The boy was cited after police developed additional information about the older crimes as investigations into more recent ones were going on, Kinnison said.

No one in recent memory has set as many illegal fires around Cape Girardeau, Kinnison said.

The fires the boy is believed responsible for:

• A fire started inside a Ford van at 112. S Spanish on July 15, 1998.
• Burning a 1979 Massey Ferguson tractor at 533 Morgan Oak on July 31, 1998.
• Burning the interior cab of a Deutz-Allis tractor at 533 Morgan Oak on May 31, 1998.
• Burning a small, wooden dog house and causing damage to an exterior wall of a house at 224 S. Ellis on July 25, 1998.
• Burning a 1968 Watercraft boat in an alley at the 100 block of South Lorimier on July 15, 1998.
• Burning a 1985 Ford Tempo at rear 207 S. Sprigg St. on July 17, 1998.
• Burning a matress on a rear porch at 326 S. Sprigg St. on June 25, 1998.
• A fire inside a trash bin at rear 207 S. Sprigg St. on Aug. 2, 1998.
• A fire inside a trash bin in an alley at the 600 block of Good Hope Street on July 15, 1998.
• A fire inside a trash bin in the alley at 620 Good Hope on June 25, 1998.
• Burning a 1987 Pontiac Grand Am in the 200 block of Aquamsi Steet on Aug. 2, 1998.