Man held in vehicle fires

The arrest was made through information from a confidential informant.

SALEM — A city man was being held at the Columbiana County Jail on Monday in lieu of a $250,000 bond in the burning of three cars and a camper body early Dec. 20, according to Salem Police Detective David Talbert.

Robert J. Kastanek, 23, of North Madison Avenue, was arrested Friday evening. He is charged with arson, a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison.

Another person and possibly a third person may face charges, Talbert said Monday.

Two more vehicles were burned late last Thursday.

The dollar amount of the damage isn’t known.

Talbert said the arrest was made through information from a confidential informant.

The detective said it was impossible to determine whether an accelerant was used to burn the cars. The detective said that’s because car seats and other car parts are made of petroleum-based products.

Items were taken from the vehicles during each of the fires. One family whose vehicle was burned Dec. 20 had its Christmas presents in the vehicle.

In December the camper and two cars were burned on Woodland Avenue. One car was parked on East Pershing Street and another was parked on East State Street.

Last week, one vehicle was burned in the 200 block of East Third Street and the second was burned in the 200 block of East Fourth Street.

Kastanek was sentenced in county Common Pleas Court in 2005 to six months in prison on a charge of breaking and entering. He was also ordered to enter counseling, do 80 hours of community service and to serve 30 days consecutively on electronically monitored house arrest.

In 2006, Kasanak was found guilty on a misdemeanor charge of criminal damaging. A 90-day jail sentence was suspended and he was fined $250 and costs, ordered to make restitution and was placed on a year intensive supervision for one year.