A Roseville resident has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of starting a vegetation fire near Foothills Boulevard and Pleasant Grove Boulevard earlier this week, according to an official press release from the Roseville Police Department.
Robert De Los Santos, 43, of Roseville was reportedly arrested on suspicion of arson in connection to a fire that occurred on September 23 and is being held in the Placer County Jail in lieu of $170,000 bail. The arrest was reportedly the result of a month-long investigation by the Roseville PD and Roseville Fire Department arson investigators.
According to Roseville PD, Roseville Fire personnel had noted an unusually high number of vegetation fires in the open space corridor southeast of the Foothills Boulevard/Pleasant Grove Boulevard intersection since early July. Fortunately each time a fire was started, firefighters were reportedly able to bring the fires under control before they became a threat to the public and surrounding homes. Roseville Fire’s arson investigators had reportedly determined the fires were being deliberately set, and met with Roseville PD to investigate the series. They also reportedly notified residents near the arson fires to be on alert and to immediately call 911 if they saw any signs of fire or any suspicious activity.
The corner of Foothills and Pleasant Grove is a mix of commercial property and open fields.
When a vegetation fire reportedly started in the same area and was reported at 3:49 am on Tuesday, September 23, Roseville PD officers reportedly immediately responded and began searching the area, eventually stopping a man riding a bicycle on a nearby residential street. Their investigation reportedly led officers and arson investigators to searches of the man’s nearby house, where they reportedly found tools and materials commonly used to start fires, as well as materials that can be used to create improvised explosive devices.
Roseville PD and Roseville Fire investigation teams are reportedly continuing to make inquiries of De Los Santos’ involvement in the other arson fires.
