Tips Lead Investigators to Dumpster Arson Suspect

An Edgewood man has been charged in six dumpster fires reported in Harford County last week.

Alan Curtis Stuart, 51, of the 2100 block of Trimble Road in Edgewood, was taken into custody over the weekend and charged with six counts of trash container arson; six counts of malicious burning; and malicious destruction scheme over $1,000, according to court records.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office and members of the public helped identify Stuart as the suspect in a string of dumpster fires that occurred Monday, July 13, after investigators released surveillance images on social media, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

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The images showed Stuart behind the IHOP on Pulaski Highway, where he then set fire to a dumpster, according to the fire marshal.

The string of fires started at 1:30 a.m. and ended at approximately 4:30 p.m., the fire marshal reported.

These are the locations where the fires occurred, according to the report:

• 1:27 a.m. at Denny Lee Carpet Outlet; 1001 Edgewood Road
• 4–4:30 a.m. three dumpsters set on fire behind Chesapeake Pawn Brokers, Zorba’s, IHOP; 1000–2000 block of Pulaski Highway

There was minor damage to the vinyl siding at Denny Lee Carpet Outlet, the fire marshal said.

In addition to the Edgewood dumpsters, the fire marshal said investigators have connected Stuart to other incidents in Harford County.

“It is believed the suspect is tied to other dumpster fires located on Adair Court and Hardwick Place in Joppa that occurred on July 15, 2015, at 2 a.m.,” the fire marshal reported.