(video) Suspects sought in suspected arson fire at body shop

A screen capture taken from a video provided by the Garland County Sheriff's Department shows a fire that investigators say was the result of arson at Elite Paint and Body, 110 Technology Place, on Nov. 2.
A screen capture taken from a video provided by the Garland County Sheriff's Department shows a fire that investigators say was the result of arson at Elite Paint and Body, 110 Technology Place, on Nov. 2.

Garland County sheriff's investigators are asking for the public's help in identifying some suspects involved in an arson at a local body shop early last month, the sheriff's department said in a release.

On Nov. 2, at around 3:30 a.m., sheriff's deputies and the Piney Fire Department responded to Elite Paint and Body, 110 Technology Place, off Mid-America Boulevard, for a reported structure fire and arrived to find the body shop and three vehicles in the parking lot engulfed in flames.

Deputies noted the structure was unoccupied at the time. Firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire and sheriff's investigators, along with Arkansas State Police and Arkansas Tobacco Firearms investigators, later determined the fire was due to arson, the release said.

Surveillance videos were gathered from the body shop as well as surrounding businesses. A review of the videos showed that at approximately 2:28 a.m. a small dark SUV, possibly a Chevrolet Equinox, drove onto Technology Place and stopped.

Two subjects then exited the back of the vehicle and the vehicle drove off. The two subjects then approached a side window of the body shop carrying what appeared to be a gas can. One subject broke the window out, poured the gasoline into the building and set fire to the area. The subjects then ran off and the SUV drove by and picked them up, it said.

Anyone with information on the arson or possible suspects should contact the Garland County Sheriff's Office at 501-622-3660 or Investigator Mowery at 501-622-3696 [email protected].

Local on 12/04/2019

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