FAIRFIELD, Conn. Fairfield Police have brought more charges against Christopher Message, the man accused of a string of arsons last September.
Message, 35, of Valley Road, now faces three more counts of arson and an additional count of burglary in addition to the charges brought against him after his first arrest on Sept. 9.
Fires broke out at five Fairfield properties in early September 2011, including three early on the morning of Sept. 8. The close timing of the fires led police to suspect arson. According to police reports, Message reported some of the fires anonymously, but the 911 calls were traced to his cell phone. Message was also interviewed at the scene of some of the incidents.
On Sept. 9, Message was arrested and charged for arson and burglary at three addresses: 1330 N. Benson Road, 321 Woodridge Ave. and 53 Cornell Road. He was also charged with starting two other fires in Easton. He has been held in Newtown since his initial arrest.
Police formally charged Message with three other cases of arson Friday afternoon. The fires at 50 Chatham Road and 325 Stratfield Road occurred in the early September spree, police said.
He was also linked to a fire at a Fairfield car dealership in July. A van was engulfed in flames outside Pulver Motors on Kings Highway East on the night of July 19. The fire spread to dealership's office.
Message has also been charged with attempted burglary and criminal mischief on Sept. 4, neighbors reported seeing a man trying to enter the back door of a Woodbine Lane home. Pry marks were later found on a back door, but it does not appear anyone was able to enter the house. Investigators identified Message as the suspect and charged him in that case Friday.
Messages bond was set at a combined $850,000 for the new charges. He was set to appear in court for the new charges Friday.
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