HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA – November 2, 2020 – Hollister Fire Department as well as Hollister Police and San Benito County Deputies investigate a series of suspicious fires and vandalisms that occurred overnight in Hollister.
On November 2, 2020 in the early morning hours, Hollister Fire Department personnel and Hollister Police Officers responded to a series of fires in and around the downtown Hollister area.
At about 2:00 am, there was a call of a car on fire on McCray Street near Santa Ana Road. A few minutes later there was a report of another car fire on Second Street near Sally Street. After that there was a report of a fire at a restaurant located on 6th Street followed by another fire at another commercial building on the corner of 5th street and East Street.
Hollister Fire Personnel responded to the locations and found buildings already engulfed in flames. They worked diligently to put out the fire and contain it from spreading to other buildings. The commercial fires were total losses and up to 10 businesses were destroyed or affected in some manner.
Hollister Police also began receiving calls of vandalisms of slashed car tires around the area of West Graf Road and the area around two of the car fires. Officers are investigating these vandalisms and believe they may be connected to the fires.
The fires are obviously suspicious in nature and the San Benito County Arson Task Force has been investigating. Officers from the Hollister Police Department, Hollister Fire Personnel as well as Deputies from the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office are working together to investigate these fires.
Additional resources have also been requested from our area, state and federal partners. Cal-Fire Investigators have been on scene assisting as well as Monterey County Cause and Origin Task Force and the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms ATF has also sent a team of investigators to assist.
Hollister Police Detectives and members of the Arson Task Force are following leads and reviewing the downtown cameras for information to help determine who committed these crimes.
If anyone has any information in regards to these fires or who might be involved, you are asked to call the Hollister Police Department at 636-4330. Persons wishing to remain anonymous can call WeTip at 800-78-CRIME. Information provided to WeTip may qualify for a reward.
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Prepared by: Sergeant Don Pershall
Approved by: Interim Chief, Carlos Reynoso
