Residents of the Northwest Side of Chicago have been living in fear lately due to a string of arson incidents involving Halloween and autumn decorations. The most recent incident involved a Logan Square man, Mario Munoz, who was arrested and charged with arson for setting fire to a Halloween bale of hay on one porch and decapitating inflatable figures outside another home.
Munoz, 34, was charged Tuesday with one felony count of arson for the incident that occurred on Oct. 11 in the 2200 block of West Roscoe Street. A 31-year-old man discovered the blaze on his porch just before 4 a.m. and was able to put it out. The flames damaged a decorative bale of hay and the floor and a column on the porch. No injuries were reported, according to Chicago police.
The following day, Munoz was also charged with one misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property for an incident in North Center. A Ring camera allegedly captured Munoz cutting the heads off inflatable Halloween decorations outside a residence in the 4100 block of Maplewood Avenue. Again, no injuries were reported.
Munoz appeared in court Wednesday and a judge ruled he would remain in custody while awaiting trial. So far this month, at least eight Halloween and autumn decoration displays on sidewalks and front porches have been set on fire in the Lincoln Square, North Center and Roscoe Village neighborhoods.
Police said in an Oct. 17 community alert that fires were set at the following times and locations, including the Roscoe porch fire Munoz was charged in connection with: 1:50 a.m. Oct. 4 in the 4600 block of North Lincoln Avenue; 3:48 a.m. Oct. 4 in the 2100 block of West Montrose Avenue; 4 a.m. Oct. 4 in the 4500 block of North Lincoln Avenue; 4:13 a.m. Oct. 7 in the 4600 block of North Lincoln Avenue; 2:58 a.m. Oct. 9 in the 4000 block of North Lincoln Avenue; 3:10 a.m. Oct. 11 in the 2100 block of West Agatite Avenue; 3:43 a.m. Oct. 11 in the 2200 block of West Roscoe Street; and 3:27 a.m. Oct. 16 in the 3600 block of North Hoyne Avenue.
Another porch fire was reported in the 2200 block of West Ainslie Street around 2 a.m. Saturday, but police wouldn’t say if Halloween decorations were targeted in that fire or whether it was being investigated as possible arson. No injuries have been reported in any of the fires, but residents were evacuated from the home in the 3600 block of North Hoyne Avenue after a bale of hay used as decoration was set on fire.
One woman who lived near that home said some frightened neighbors have taken down their Halloween decorations for fear of being targeted. “It’s upsetting to feel like in the middle of the night, out of your control, something like this can happen,” she said last week. It is not clear if Munoz is a suspect in any of the other fires.
The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the person or persons responsible for the arsons. They are asking anyone with information to contact Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.
In the meantime, the community is coming together to support those affected by the arsons. Local businesses are offering discounts on Halloween decorations and some residents are offering to help with the cleanup and repair of damaged decorations.
The community is also coming together to spread awareness about the arsons and to encourage people to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. The Chicago Police Department is also increasing patrols in the affected neighborhoods in an effort to deter further arsons.
The arrest of Mario Munoz is a step in the right direction, but it is important to remember that the investigation is ongoing and
