Investigator: Bank robbery suspect admits to 6 arsons in Dayton

DAYTON — A man arrested earlier this week in connection to an attempted robbery at a downtown Chase Bank is now facing multiple arson charges.

RELATED: Man arrested after attempted bank robbery in Dayton

During questioning in the other case, John Searls, 30, admitted to setting six separate fires in the city of Dayton over a period of several months, according to a release from the city.

The fires were in the Twin Towers, Burkhardt and Old North Dayton neighborhoods:

• 214 Clover St., April 14
• 2806 E. Third St., March 28
• 136 Pierce St., March 27
• 323 Nassau St., Feb. 27

RELATED: Fire at Dayton duplex considered ‘suspicious’

• 774 Troy St., Dec. 1, 2017
• 30 Little St., Nov. 14, 2017

Searls remains in the Montgomery County Jail, where he has been held on $25,000 bond on a single robbery charge since his May 1 arrest.

Arson charges were filed against him May 2, according to the release.

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