Fairfield (NJ) On July 14, 2021, the Fairfield Police Department charged two local juveniles, whose names are being withheld due to their ages, each with one count of 3rd degree arson for a fire that devastated the concession stand/bathrooms located near the turf field at the Fairfield Recreation Complex on June 25, 2021. The fire, which was reported at 8:16 PM, was extinguished by the Fairfield Fire Department with assistance from the North Caldwell and West Caldwell Fire Departments. Immediately following, the Fairfield Fire Prevention Bureau conducted a cause and origin investigation and eventually determined that the fire was arson.
Fairfield Police Detective Lieutenant Michael Nyhuis, Detective Sergeant Jeffrey Didyk and Detectives Daniel Moran, Nicholas Cocchi and Michael Tilton eventually identified the two suspects after obtaining video footage from the park’s surveillance system. The juveniles were served with the complaints on July 16th. The case will now be referred to the Family Court in Newark, N.J. for adjudication.
“I commend the hard work and investigative skills of these detectives in how quickly they were able to identify the suspects and in referring this matter to the family court for adjudication. The Township of Fairfield and the police department specifically will do everything in its power to identify and prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, anyone who is found damaging public property that belongs to all the citizens of Fairfield. It is my hope that parents use this incident as a teachable moment for their children concerning the importance of respecting the property of others” said Chief Anthony G. Manna.
(It should be noted that the charges against both juveniles are merely allegations and that they are presumed innocent until they either plead guilty or are adjudicated guilty in a court of law)
Authorized by: Chief Anthony Manna
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