Police: Naperville protester's tent fire likely arson
The tent of a self-proclaimed Naperville “protester” that burned down Monday is believed to have been the target of arson, authorities said Thursday.
The tent belonging to Scott Huber caught fire about 1:55 p.m. Monday, after witnesses saw and surveillance video captured a “person of interest” nearby at the Mobil gas station at 1420 E. Ogden Ave.
Police said the suspect is a man about 6 feet tall, between 50 and 60 years old with gray or white hair who was driving a Hyundai of an unknown model. He's described as having a medium to heavy build and wearing prescription glasses, a short-sleeved button-up shirt and faded jeans.
Police are asking anyone who has information about the arson or the suspect to call Naperville Crime Stoppers at (630) 420-6006. Callers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
Huber has set up his tent near the gas station at Ogden Avenue and Naper Boulevard for a few of the nearly 15 years he's been living on Naperville streets. A sign on a blue tarp that covered the tent called it the headquarters for his protest of what he perceives as wrongdoing by city officials, whom he blames for the loss of his home, business and property.
Police said Huber is active and “very opinionated” on social media with his protest messages.
Previously, Huber's campsite had been set up in downtown Naperville until the city outlawed sleeping, camping and storing property on public ways there in 2009. He then moved to 4 N. Washington St., outside a psychologist's office, where he remained until he was found guilty in 2011 of misdemeanor charges for chasing and taunting the psychologist when she asked him to leave.
Huber was not inside his tent at the time of the fire and no one was injured. He said he was slightly north of the site using the internet when the fire began.