A 24-year-old woman suspected of starting numerous fires in the Fullerton area since late last year was arrested by police as she allegedly tried to ignite two new fires, authorities announced Monday.
Eun "Esther" Cha of Fullerton was taken into custody about 4 a.m. Sunday by officers who were conducting surveillance for suspected arson attempts in the 1200 block of North Gilbert Street, according to Fullerton police spokesman Sgt. Jon Radus.
Since Sept. 1 of last year, 28 fires in Fullerton were determined to be suspicious in nature, with 14 of those blazes confined to the 1200 block of North Gilbert Street, Radus said.
Cha was allegedly spotted by police attempting to set fire to a trash dumpster on Gilbert Street, Radus continued. When that attempt failed she allegedly tried to set fire to bushes under an electrical panel attached to an apartment complex, which also was unsuccessful.
Cha was taken into custody on suspicion of arson, Radus said. She also was allegedly in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia when she was arrested.
According to police, Cha admitted to detectives that she had set earlier fires in the area, and police believe Cha might have been responsible for a large number of the 28 suspicious fires in Fullerton, according to Radus. A motive for the arsons was not released by police.
Cha was being held on $1 million bail and was scheduled to be arraigned in Central Jail Court on Wednesday, according to Orange County jail records.
