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Connecticut State Police have arrested Dennis and Carol Steiger of Old Lyme and charged them with felony counts of arson, conspiracy to commit arson, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. To round out the list, they were also charged with making false statements to officers.
Investigation revealed the Steigers had complained for many years about the poor quality of their house. They sued the builder for a lengthy list of things: a toilet that was not hooked up, a nonfunctional ceiling fan, improperly installed tiles and septic gases that would not vent. While the court ordered the builder to pay $26,000 for repairs and $7,500 to reimburse attorney’s fees, the Steigers thought it was not enough to complete the necessary repairs.
On March 25, 1995, the house burned. The Steigers reported they’d returned home to find the house and yard engulfed in flames. Even though it took the fire department only eight minutes to arrive, the house sustained extensive damage. Investigators wondered why there was so little furniture, hardly any clothing in the closets and no pictures on the walls. And the state police detective thought it was strange that Carol Steiger was instantly hostile when asked routine questions.
Further investigation revealed the use of accelerants in the fire, a series of inconsistent statements and a storage facility full of furniture and other personal items belonging to the Steigers. When it came time to file the insurance claim, the Steigers provided their insurance company with a 32-page list of items allegedly lost in the fire – with a total price tag in excess of $600,000.
Arson or just bad luck? The courts will have to make that decision.
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