Public's help sought in probe of Indiana county's barn fires

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) - Police in a northern Indiana county are seeking the public's help as they investigate a string of fires that have destroyed or damaged eight barns since last spring.

Monday's request from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office came after two fires about one mile apart destroyed two barns in the southern part of the county last Friday.

'œThey were a total loss,'ť said Capt. Mike Culp.

Friday's fires brought to eight the number of barns in the county that have been hit by fires since April, The Elkhart Truth reported.

Culp asked anyone who lives near the locations of those eight fires and has home security cameras to review footage from the dates of the fires and report anything suspicious to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office is investigating the fires with the State Fire Marshal's Office.

Culp said property owners in the rural areas where the fires have occurred should not to dismiss anything they may consider suspicious.

'œIf they've heard anything regarding any of the fires, if they do have any footage or if they can at least review their footage if they live anywhere in those areas, report that back to us to try to assist in these investigations; that would be appreciated,'ť he said.