By: Natasha Archary
A Johannesburg homeowner claims a serial arsonist is targeting homes in the northern suburbs, destroying 13 houses in 12 months.
Shelley Browner said her home was broken into by one man in November 2021, who set her house on fire in Hurlingham. The upmarket residential area just outside the Sandton business district isn’t the only area where homes were set on fire.
According to Community Crime Watch page on Facebook, Hyde Park, Illovo and Dunkeld were also targeted. However, police say the rumours that there’s a serial arsonist on the loose is simply not true.
Station Commander at Bramley Police Station, Owen King speaking to TimesLive, said since January 2021, there have only been 3 reports of residential fires in Illovo, Hyde Park and Marlborough Gardens.
Residents in the area are not convinced and are concerned that the man has not been apprehended yet.
Sharing her experience in a video, Browner says she is thankful that her family was not home when her home set on fire.
CCTV footage of the night shows the man entering Browner’s home and setting 3 fires in different rooms.
“Thankfully the way my house is built, the fire didn’t get past the lounge area. It’s now 6-months later and I’m still rebuilding my home,” Browner shared.



