Police Investigate Suspicious Boardwalk Trash Can Fires; Arrest One

WILDWOOD – Members of the Wildwood Police Department Uniform Patrol Division, along with the Wildwood Fire Department, responded to 3200 Boardwalk located in the City of Wildwood, in connection to a report of a structure fire Tuesday, May 19 at approximately 4:14 a.m.
Upon arrival of police and fire personnel it was discovered that a standard plastic trash receptacle was fully engulfed. The Wildwood Fire Department extinguished the active fire and discovered that an eight-foot-by-six-foot area of the Boardwalk infrastructure sustained extensive damage as a result of the fire.
As members of the fire department were extinguishing the fire in the 3200 block of the Boardwalk they noticed a second trash receptacle fire in the area of the 3000 block of the boardwalk. This fire was contained prior to causing infrastructure damage to the boardwalk.
Due to the suspicious nature of two separate but similar fires in reasonably close proximity to each other, the Wildwood Police Department Detective Division conducted a follow-up investigation in connection to cause and origin of the suspicious fires.
During the developing investigation, members of the Wildwood Police Department Detective Division arrested an individual identified as Paul Stabler, 51, residing in the Burleigh section of Middle Township in connection to the arsons. It should be noted that during the investigation it was determined that property damage to the boardwalk infrastructure was estimated in excess of $15,000. The following is a list of criminal charges filed against Stabler in connection to the arsons: arson two counts (crimes of the third degree), criminal mischief three counts (crimes of the third degrees) and failure to report a fire two counts (a crime of the fourth degree). Judge Dorothy Garrabrant of the Wildwood Municipal Court set bail at $175,000 cash/bond no ten percent on all charges. Stabler was unable to post bail and was incarcerated at the Cape May County Correctional Center.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.