Arson in Anhalt-Bitterfeld: photographers in custody!

Arson in Anhalt-Bitterfeld: photographers in custody!

A dark chapter begins: In Saxony-Anhalt, two freelance photographers are suspected of being responsible for a devastating series of arsons. The investigations by the police and the public prosecutor's office are increasing and show that the suspects did not just commit isolated incidents. Rather, a total of at least 13 fires are to be attributed to the men, which spread across various communities in the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district and neighboring regions. According to reports from the MDR The fires were set mainly in summer in places such as Zörbig, Landsberg, Raguhn-Jeßnitz, Wiedemar and Delitzsch.

As the Dessau-Roßlau public prosecutor's office confirmed, the suspects are said to have sold their recordings of the fire-threatening incidents to the media. This could lead to a ruthless interplay between fate and profit. The suspects, a 23-year-old from Bitterfeld-Wolfen and a 33-year-old from Zörbig, were arrested on Wednesday evening in an old, empty train station building in Raguhn, where another fire was raging. Despite considerable effort to extinguish the fire, the fire spread quickly, resulting in material damage of over 10,000 euros.

Concerned about safety

The fire in the former station building had not only financial but also infrastructural consequences: the adjacent railway line had to be closed for several hours, which led to significant restrictions on train traffic. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in these incidents, but the question arises as to how much more shadowy action could follow, as the men are now in custody. This was ordered by the arrest judge at the Bitterfeld-Wolfen district court.

The investigation had been going on for a long time before the police made the arrest. The two men are under strong suspicion of having set a real fireworks display of arson together, including a dangerous forest fire in the Diebziger Busch. According to prosecutor Alexandra Jirschik, the total damage caused by her alleged actions amounts to several million euros. The relevance of these offenses is not easily expressed in words, as each flame leaves a sad mark.

A dangerous game

Regardless of the serious allegations, the accused had to reckon with the fact that their former “success stories” on the Internet, in which they reported on fires and accidents, could soon lead to a bitter aftertaste. The material they sold to agencies and newspapers may now turn out to be their own curse. They now face prison sentences of up to ten years, a consequence that can only seem appropriate given the seriousness of the crimes. The series of fires not only endangered properties, but also surrounding habitats.

The city and its residents have been shaken by recent events. Questions about security and the criminal law assessment of the crimes are put on the agenda. It will probably take some time before the smell of burning disappears from people's minds and from the region's memories. The process becomes inevitable – there is something going on.