A $20,000 reward is being offered for information that could lead to the identification and arrest of those who started multiple fires that ravaged several businesses in Long Beach, it was announced on a City press release on Friday, July 17.
The reward is being offered by the City of Long Beach and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who contributed the first $10,000.
The $10,000 reward was approved unanimously by the City Council at the July 7 meeting.
On May 31, at approximately 10:00 p.m., one of the fires started at the Men’s Suit Outlet, which is located at 655 Pine Ave., after civil unrest. Multiple suspects are seen approaching the business in the video evidence collected and throwing “incendiary devices” inside also known as Molotov cocktails, the press release stated. The fire ultimately destroyed the building as well as five other businesses that operated out of that building.
The loss is estimated at $5,176,200.
According to the press release, more video evidence also showed the same suspects are seen vandalizing and throwing incendiary devices at Pacific Insurance and Income Tax, which is located at 951 Pine Avenue, and a Burger King located at 127 W. 4th St.
The Long Beach Fire Department and the ATF Los Angeles Field Division are conducting the investigation.
Footage of the suspects can be found online here.
Another video titled Long Beach Burns also shows another angle of the arsonists throwing incendiary devices within Men’s Suit Outlet.
If anyone has information on the suspects, who for now are unidentified, or information on the fires, they are encouraged to contact Long Beach Fire Department Arson Hotline at (562) 570-2582
