QUEENS — One month after a rash of suspicious fires in Forest Hills suddenly stopped, the Bukharian Jewish community — whose homes appear to have been the "ninja" arsonist's target — is still apprehensive.
“Why wouldn’t we be afraid?” asked Alex Yakubov, a member of Community Board 6 who lives near one of the destroyed homes. “We have no answers at all.”
The series of seven suspicious fires in the neighborhood began on Oct. 20 with a blaze at the former Parkway Hospital. The last fire broke out on Dec. 6 when the suspect, described as "looking like a ninja," torched a home he already tried to burn in November.
Out of the seven suspicious fires, five targeted homes owned by Bukharian Jews living in the so called Cord Mayer section of the neighborhood.
Most of the structures have been under construction and vacant, and no one has been hurt in any of the fires. But in three instances the flames spread to nearby homes, displacing 13 people.
The NYPD has beefed up patrols in the area, but the arsonist remains at large, even after police released various surveillance videos of the suspect. One of them shows that the suspect is possibly armed with a gun.
"He [the arsonist] is still out there and until we catch him, we're still susceptible," said Deputy Inspector Judith Harrison, the commanding officer of the 112th Precinct.
Michael Cohen, a spokesman for local Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz said that as of now police continue to maintain high visibility with increased resources in the area, which serves as a deterrent.
“I walk through the neighborhood and see patrol cars parked on the side streets where you would never expect to find them.”
Investigators are still looking for a possible motive, but one theory claims that the arsonist has been targeting large and opulent Bukharian homes because he does not like the changes in the historic neighborhood.
The Bukharian community is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the arsonist, in addition to $12,500 already offered by Crime Stoppers.
But on Thursday the center said there have been no updates in the case that has puzzled investigators for weeks.
Residents said they want more attention from elected officials and law enforcement representatives.
Rafael Nektalov, the editor-in-chief of The Bukharian Times, complained that Queens officials do not talk "about the houses that were fired" in Forest Hills when they discuss recent trends in the borough.
Yakubov agreed. “Seven buildings were burned, this is not a joke, it’s mind-boggling,” he said. “We have to find out who did this, we have to find the mind who was behind this.”
