Barstow Woman Arrested for Allegedly Setting Fire to Vacant Structure

BARSTOW, Ca. – A 35-year-old Barstow woman was arrested for arson and probation violations early Sunday morning after allegedly setting fire to a vacant structure.

At around 4:28 a.m. Barstow Police and Fire Department responded to a report of a fire at a vacant structure in the 300 block of East Fredricks Street. When they arrived, they interviewed several witnesses and received information that the fire was intentionally set. The witnesses said that a woman was seen in the open doorway of the building prior to it catching fire. She left the area eastbound on Frederick Street.

Officers conducted and area check and located a woman in the 300 block of Main Street who matched the description that witnesses had provided. When officers made contact with the female she provided them with a false name, but they were able to identify her as Veronica Szoke. Szoke was on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) and had an active arrest warrant for violation of PRCS.

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Szoke was identified by witnesses as the person who was seen in the doorway of the building before the fire. Szoke was detained and through a search of her belongings, evidence connecting her to the crime. Szoke was booked at the West Valley Detention Center and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Corporal Ronan Colleoc at the Barstow Police Department, (760) 256-2211. Those wishing to remain anonymous may also report criminal activity by calling the WE-Tip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or on We-Tip’s website at www.wetip.com.