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What to Know About Arson in Florida

Arson

Intentionally setting fire to a structure is a crime called arson. Arson is defined as any willful or malicious burning of a dwelling, house, public building, motor vehicle, or aircraft. It does not matter if there is fraud involved.

Florida police make just 250 arrests for arson every year, so these cases are quite rare in the state. In a study of arsons that occurred in 2017, 45% of arson offenses involved structures, such as residential and storage. Mobile property was involved in 24.5% of arsons. Other types of property, such as crops, timber, and fences accounted for 30.5% of reported arsons.

The average dollar loss per arson was $15,573. However, arsons involving industrial/manufacturing structures resulted in the highest average dollar losses, with an average of $54,517.

Arson arrests often lead to fraud charges. Many people set fire to structures in order to gain insurance money. By filing a claim with your insurer, you could be committing insurance fraud.

Arson cases are often thoroughly investigated. Whenever an insurance company receives a homeowner’s claim for fire damages, the claims adjuster will work to determine the cause. The results of the investigation are shared with law enforcement, so they may be used as evidence to arrest you.

Reasons for Arson

People engage in arson for various reasons, such as the following:

Financial gain. Some people commit arson to collect insurance money, which is insurance fraud.

  • Revenge or vandalism. Arson may be used as a means of revenge against a person or organization. It can also be an act of vandalism, intended to damage property for some reason.
  • Psychological gratification. Some people feel excitement or satisfaction from setting fires. This can be linked to underlying psychological issues, such as pyromania, a compulsion to start fires.
  • Mistaken beliefs. Some individuals may believe that setting a fire will solve a problem, such as removing a troublesome neighbor or clearing land for development.
  • Political or social protest. In some cases, people set fires as a form of protest against a government, corporation, or social issue, in an attempt to draw attention to their cause.

Arson Penalties 

In Florida, there is first-degree and second-degree arson. Both are felonies. First-degree arson

Is when someone sets fire to a structure or dwelling where they knew people would be present. If a firearm or destructive device was used, the minimum mandatory sentence is 10 or 20 years. Overall, a person can face up to 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Second-degree arson is when someone intentionally sets fire to property while committing a felony. The penalties are up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The main difference in these two crimes is whether or not humans are present or could be present. If so, it becomes a first-degree felony.

Contact Us Today

Arson is a serious crime in Florida. It is a felony that can result in decades in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

Protect your legal rights and future with a Florida criminal defense lawyer from Linkhorst Law Firm. We have valid defenses that can help. Fill out the online form or call 561-626-8880 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017/topic-pages/arson

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