Garbage Bins Set on Fire on Pepper Valley, Cambridge Drive

One of the graphics we use on Geneva Patch is labelled "Crime and Fire." Sometimes, apparently, both apply.

Found in the Geneva police reports this week were two apparently related incidents in which garbage bins were set on fire in the Pepper Valley area.

Criminal Damage to Property—Someone set the contents of a recycle bin on fire around 2:04 a.m. April 13 in the 1900 block of Pepper Valley Drive near the intersection of Pepper Valley Drive and Northampton Drive, reports said. The Geneva Fire Department arrived and put the fire out.

“It is unknown how the fire started,” reports said.

One black garbage can, two blue recycle bins and one blue recycle bin were damaged. The total value of the bins was estimated at $72.50.

Criminal Damage to Property Under $300—A Geneva police officer who was checking the area around Cambridge drive after a report of garbage cans being set on fire April 13 on Pepper Valley Drive found another fire burning in a driveway on North Cambridge Drive.

The officer saw the fire in a driveway in the 200 block of North Cambridge Drive and requested that the Geneva Fire Department respond. The officer discovered four paper bags of grass yard clippings had been set on fire. The bags were sitting next to the driveway next to a plastic recycle bin and plastic garbage can, reports said. Using the fire extinguisher from the police car, the officer was able to extinguish the fire.

The Fire Department arrived and finished putting the fire out while the officer talked to the homeowner. The homeowner told police he had set the garbage out at about 10 p.m. April 12 and did not see or hear anything until the officer rang the doorbell.

If you have information about this or any other crime in Geneva, please contact the Geneva Police Department at 630-232-4736.