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Tully Mars · 12-03-2008, 07:53 AM

Found this article this morning. Wasn't really surprised. I wondered how long it was going to take for desperate people to start taking desperate measures. This type of thing happened in the 30's and I think it's going to increase as the economy leaves more people with hard choices. Bank robberies and other crimes also increased. Wonder if this will repeat it's self. Back in the first depression some bank robbers reached a folk hero status to many. Wonder if that will happen again too?

Quote:

Investigators Accuse Suspects Of Burning Homes And Cars For Money
Investigators Say They've Seen Surge In Insurance Fraud
Arson investigators in the city of Pittsburgh say the economy is increasingly to blame for blazes.

Detective Mike Burns said a lot of people are having trouble selling their homes due to the slumping housing market and they get frustrated.

"They can't sell it so what they try to do then is have a fire in the house and cause enough damage that the insurance company will buy the house back," said Burns.

One of those fires was set in Beechview. Burns said it started on the second floor after the owners had moved to another home and were trying to sell.

Investigators charged Michelle Yingst in that case. Her attorney, Jimmy Sheets, said she will be proven not guilty.

"I'm confident that Miss Yingst is a victim in this case more than she is a perpetrator and once everything eventually comes to light ...when all is said and done, she's more of a victim than a perpetrator in this," said Sheets.

Yingst's fiancé, Philip Catalano, has also been charged with arson.

In Beaver County, Robert Halstead is accused of torching his mobile home after falling behind on payments. He claims he didn't do it.

"I owed them money, but like I said, I didn't do it," said Halstead.

And it's not just homes going up in flames. From 2006 to 2007, the number of recovered burned vehicles jumped by more than 600.

James Quiggle from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud says people can't take the financial pressure.

"They've bought vehicles that they can't afford because of easy credit now, the economy is in trouble, gas prices are increasing. And they see no way out," said Quiggle.

Insurance experts said this could lead to an increase in premiums because the cost of insurance is getting too high in the Pittsburgh area.

Investigators Accuse Suspects Of Burning Homes And Cars For Money - Target 11 News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh