UPDATED: McKinney police look for suspect in nine “suspicious fires”

A $5,000 reward is available to anyone with information that leads to an arrest.

McKinney police are investigating a string of fires they believe may have been started by the same suspect(s) over the past two months.

Nine fires, which Deputy Chief Kim Malolepszy called "suspicious," have involved residences and cars. The fires date back to October 12, when a pile of leaves was ignited near a McKinney apartment complex, and several occurred between November 8-19 all over McKinney.

No one has been injured or burned in the fires, Malolepszy said, but some of the fires have caused extensive damage, including a November 8 fire that led to a detached garage at a residence on Waddill Street. Two other fires damaged cars on Blue Ridge Street in west McKinney, and at those, police found evidence of road flare-alcohol ignition combo -- similar to a Molotov cocktail, a common incendiary device made with gasoline, an oily rag, and a glass bottle.

"One totally engulfed a car, and one broke the mirror and window of another car," Malolepszy said. "That one likely just didn't have the effect the suspect or suspects were hoping for."

Other targets burned include a flag and flagpole, and a wooden shed, all of which police believe were started with an accelerant of some kind. Because of the fires' nature and concentrated time frame, police say the suspects are likely juveniles.

Many of the fires were reported by 911 calls, but there are no witnesses at this point, Malolepszy said.

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying who's responsible for the fires, and Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to the suspect(s) arrest.

"Particularly with juveniles, they will talk," Malolepszy said. "The public's eyes and ears are really important in these cases."

To report related information, contact Detective Jeff Taylor at 972-547-2738, or Crime Stoppers at 1-877-373-8477.