Firefighters arrested on suspicion of STARTING blazes they were called to extinguish
ITALIAN police have arrested 15 volunteer firefighters suspected of starting blazes that they were then called to extinguish.
15 volunteer firefighters have been arrested in Italy suspected of starting blazes themselves
The Mediterranean island in the summer is often plagued by arson fires.
Police in Ragusa, Sicily arrested the head of a firefighting squad and the others are under investigation.
Auxiliary firefighters are paid about £9 per hour if they are called out to emergency situations.
Officials were tipped off by the fire department after discovering one team was called out far more often than others to work in summer 2013 and 2014.
Some are also suspected of calling in false alarms.
Suspicions were raised when the group responded to 120 incidents, compared with an average of 40
He demonstrated a sharp criminal ability and had no fear about the consequences of his behaviour
This summer, several arson fires have raged in Sicily and much of central and southern Italy, amid a drought and heat wave.
Suspicions were raised when the group responded to 120 incidents, compared with the 40 dealt with by other groups in the same time period, police said in a statement.
Only the ringleader, Davide De Vita, was considered sufficiently dangerous to be placed under house arrest, because he continued starting the fires after the others had stopped, police said.
Auxiliary firefighters are paid about £9 per hour if they are called out to emergency situations
In collusion with the others, De Vita left the base in his car, lit fires or made a false report, then came back to the fire station and waited to be called out to deal with it.
The statement said: “He demonstrated a sharp criminal ability and had no fear about the consequences of his behaviour.
“On one occasion, Davide even said he wanted to set off a bomb so as to take the money available if the emergency vehicles needed to be repaired."
Ringleader Davide De Vita was considered sufficiently dangerous to be placed under house arrest
Investigators also have recordings of the suspects’ private conversations
The conspirators either used their own telephones to make the false emergency calls, or asked family and friends, it was said.