The Indiana State Fire Marshall is offering an reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person who set a vehicle on fire early Wednesday morning in the 900 block of Park Ave. in the Town of Porter.

“Somebody knows,” the State Fire Marshall said in statement released on Thursday.

Call (800) 382-4628 with your tip. You need not give your name.

That reward is in addition to the $1,000 one being offered by Porter County Crime Stoppers.

Call (800) 342-7867 with your tip. Again, you need not leave your name.

The fire was discovered around 2:08 a.m. Wednesday by the victim. The Porter Fire Department, assisted by Chesterton, used around 800 gallons of water to extinguish the blaze.

Footprints in the snow at the scene indicate that an unknown subject parked his or her own vehicle on a nearby street, then walked to the victim’s 1993 Honda two-door. Porter Fire Chief Lewis Craig said an accelerant of some sort was apparently used and that the origin of the fire looks to have been the back seat of the Honda.

The arson is being investigated by the PFD, the Porter Police Department, the Porter County Fire Investigation Strike Team, and the State Fire Marshall.

Anyone with information about the arsonist, or who may have observed something or someone unusual in the area just before or after the fire, is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers, the State Fire Marshall, or the PPD at 926-7611.

Posted 2/15/2008