UTICA, N.Y. A 28-year-old Utica resident, Than Win, has been arrested following a series of arson incidents targeting a local cemetery, a laundromat, and an occupied residential building in the citys Cornhill neighborhood.
Utica police officers and firefighters responded to the first incident at approximately 8:20 AM on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after a fire broke out inside the office of St. Agnes Cemetery on Arthur Street. Firefighters extinguished the blaze shortly after arrival.
Surveillance footage and witness statements enabled investigators to identify Win leaving the scene. Shortly after, police responded to a second fire at a laundromat inside the Mohawk Street Plaza, where security video captured Win setting fire to clothing before fleeing.
Later that afternoon, officers located and apprehended Win in a wooded area near Quinn Park on St. Vincent Street. Nearby, police recovered clothing matching the outfit seen in the surveillance recordings.
Legal Charges and Proceedings
- Initial Arrest (Aug 22): Charged with two counts of Third-Degree Arson (Class C Felony). He was processed at the Central Arraignment Processing Court and initially released without bail under local bail guidelines.
- Subsequent Arrest (Aug 23): Investigators linked Win to an earlier August 8 arson at an occupied residential building on the 1600 block of Neilson Street. He was re-arrested on Sunday, August 23, and charged with Second-Degree Arson (Class B Violent Felony).
The Utica Police Department Criminal Investigations Division is continuing to investigate other suspicious fires in the area and urges anyone with relevant information to call 315-223-3510.