Evicted Tenant Arrested for Fire, Other Damage at Waterbury, CT, Self-Storage Facility

A former tenant was arrested on Tuesday after he allegedly set fire to the manager’s office at a self-storage facility in Waterbury, Conn. Jacen Heslop, 32, was charged with arson and several other crimes related to damage he’s accused of causing at the Public Storage location, according to the source.

Heslop was evicted from the storage property several days ago after he was discovered living in his unit. He returned to the facility at 76 Captain Neville Drive on Tuesday about 3:30 p.m., breaking the gate with a sledgehammer before proceeding to the office, where he also smashed the door and several windows, police said. Once inside, Heslop poured gasoline and ignited, according to investigators. The facility manager was in the adjoining residence and escaped without injury.

Responding firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 10 minutes, though the management office was gutted, the source reported. No storage units were damaged during the incident.

Heslop was first detained by police responding to the fire. He was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree counts of arson, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, burglary and criminal trespassing. He’s also been charged with second-degree counts of breach of peace and threatening. He’s being held on a $500,000 bond.

Police and fire continue to investigate the incident.

Source:
Republican American, Man ‘Evicted’ from Waterbury Storage Facility Lights It on Fire, Police Say