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SALT LAKE CITY — A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection to separate arson and burglary incidents last month in the Salt Lake City area, police say.
On July 8, Jacob Biada was trapped inside a garage at 201 E. South Temple, where a fire had started, according to a police booking affidavit. Upon arrival, emergency crews had to cut open the metal garage door to gain entry to the fire and to allow Biada to escape. He then ran away, police say.
In an interview with police on July 22, Biada admitted to being in the garage and handling a vacuum that was on fire. The damage to the garage door and the vacuum exceeded $2,500, police said.
Biada was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of arson, burglary of a vehicle and theft.
Court documents also stated Biada admitted to "starting several other fires, but refused to say when or where."
Also on July 22, Biada was found to be wearing wildland fire clothing and matched the description of a suspect in a vehicle burglary incident, court documents say. A day earlier, a firefighter had reported that a tote had been stolen out of the back of his truck. The firefighter had recovered his equipment, but didn't realize the clothing was still missing.
The clothing Biada was wearing had the victim's name written in marker on the inside of the clothing, according to the affidavit. Furthermore, Biada claimed he found the clothing in the parking lot, police say.
The affidavit further stated the victim had confronted Biada about the stolen items on the day the alleged theft occurred.
The value of the fire clothing is $2,500.
