Crime & Safety

FBI Offers $20K Reward For Arlington Chabad Center Arsonist

Federal authorities are seeking information about three fires at Chabad Centers in Arlington and Needham in May.

Federal authorities are seeking help in identifying a suspected arsonist.
Federal authorities are seeking help in identifying a suspected arsonist. (Screenshot via FBI Boston)

ARLINGTON, MA – The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information about three fires at Chabad Centers in Arlington and Needham in May. Authorities have said two fires at an Arlington rabbi's home and one at a synagogue in Needham were set intentionally.

The first fire at Rabbi Avi Bukiet's home on Lake Street was reported Saturday, May 11 at 11 p.m. The second came Thursday, May 16 around 9 p.m. Neither fire damaged the inside of the home, where the rabbi holds religious services.

A fire was also set at the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center in Needham May 16 around 10 p.m., authorities said.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Surveillance video from the scenes shows a man, about 5-foot-11, "slowly" walking to and from the locations where the fires were set. He is wearing a dark North Face jacket with the hood pulled over his head, khaki pants and holding "unknown items" in each hand, according to the FBI.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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