23-year-old sets fire to police building in Bonndorf – investigations underway!

23-year-old sets fire to police building in Bonndorf – investigations underway!

In the tranquil community of Bonndorf in the Waldshut district, a fire was started in the police building on June 13th, causing immense damage of around 100,000 euros. The 23-year-old responsible, whose identity has not yet been released, is suspected of intentionally starting this fire. A specialist psychiatric clinic became his new home on the same day after he found himself in a psychological state of emergency. The police have started investigating the background to the incident and are currently investigating what could have motivated the young man to commit this devastating act. According to Südkurier, arson is a serious crime that is classified as dangerous to the public § 306 of the Criminal Code (StGB).

The topic of arson has sparked increasing public discussion in recent years. A variety of motives often play a role, be it personal conflicts, the pursuit of insurance fraud or even politically motivated attacks. It is often difficult to identify the perpetrators because the crime is usually committed quickly and is imperceptible. In many cases, the damage is covered by insurance, unless the act was intentional and therefore fraudulent. The violation can result in serious legal consequences. The law firm explains the different types of arson, which are punished differently depending on the risk to people and property.

The legal framework of arson

The threat of punishment for arson is high. A distinction is made between simple arson (§ 306 StGB) and serious arson (§ 306a StGB). While simple arson can be punished with prison sentences of one to ten years, serious arson is difficult to estimate and can be punished with much longer prison sentences. What is particularly frightening is that arson resulting in death, which is connected to the death of a person, can even be punished with life imprisonment, as the lawyer summarizes.

The number of arsons has increased in recent years. While over 200 car arsons were registered in Berlin in 2018 by the summer, arson in residential buildings also did not go unnoticed. According to experts, when fires appear to be accidental, the question often arises as to whether insurance fraud may be behind it. The number of unreported cases is likely to be high and means that the police and fire brigade always have to be on guard.

Arson cases in the region

There have also been several incidents in the wider Bonndorf area in recent days that are no less worrying. On June 16th, a 29-year-old woman overturned her car on the B34 in Klettgau. Luckily she was uninjured, but caused material damage of around 5,000 euros. This also shows how important it is for the fire brigade and police to respond quickly and competently, as they were on the scene promptly.

Another emergency operation took place in Basel, where a kitchen fire broke out on June 16th. A 76-year-old resident had to be flown to hospital with suspected smoke inhalation. Fortunately, there was no serious damage, but the apartment was declared uninhabitable.

Such incidents highlight the dangers that can arise from fires, whether caused by arson or carelessness. It remains to be hoped that the investigations in Bonndorf will lead to a clarification of the motive and that the population will be spared from further arson.