Vehicle Fire in Benton County Leads to Arrest and Recovery of Stolen Trailer

A "criminal mastermind" in Finley hit the worst luck after a trailer they had just stolen was noticed because of a seemingly random nearby car fire.

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Benton County Sheriff's Deputies were called to a vehicle fire early Tuesday on South Pullman Street in Finley, Washington. However, what started as a routine emergency response quickly escalated into a criminal investigation involving stolen property.

Vehicle Fire in Finley Leads to Unexpected Arrest

The Benton County Sheriff's Office says that while deputies were helping with the fire, they discovered a nearby truck attached to a flatbed trailer that had been reported stolen. They located the owner and arrested the 51-year-old man at the scene.

The man had parked the truck just down the road earlier before the fire, maybe trying to avoid drawing attention. After deputies spotted the vehicle and verified that the trailer was stolen, the man was booked into the Benton County Jail on charges of possession of stolen property. Police returned the trailer to its rightful owner.

Benton County Man Arrested After Suspicious Vehicle Fire

The cause of the vehicle fire is under investigation, and deputies are looking at two other people who were at the scene and might also be involved. Officials say it is not clear whether the fire was accidental or if there was foul play.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office is encouraging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.