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Published on November 13, 2024
FBI Offers $25K Reward for Information on Suspect in Pacific Northwest Ballot Box ArsonsSource: FBI

In a series of events that has unsettled the post-election calm, the FBI is now offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of an individual suspected of setting ballot boxes ablaze in the Pacific Northwest. According to OregonLive, these incidents occurred a week before the November elections, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of ballots in Clark County, while two boxes in Multnomah County were spared thanks to fire suppression equipment.

Further ramping up efforts, the Portland Police Bureau has indicated their belief that the same suspect is behind the October 28th fires in Oregon and a similar incident in Vancouver earlier in the month. The alleged arsonist is presently at large with no arrests made thus far. "No detail is too small. No tip is too minor. If it relates to a Volvo matching our description, we want to hear about it," said Gregory L. Austin, acting special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Seattle, in a statement sourced by KGW. Investigators are particularly seeking information about a suspect vehicle, described as a dark-colored 2003-2004 Volvo S60 sedan with a light-colored interior.

The urgency has been heightened by the recent release of video footage showing the Volvo in question near one of the targeted ballot boxes. The car notably lacks a Volvo logo on the front grill and was seen with a fraudulent temporary Washington license plate at the time of the October 28 incidents. A specific detail to note is that the plate, not actually registered to a Volvo, may have already been discarded or replaced, as reported by KATU.

The suspect has been described as a white male, approximately 30 to 40 years old with thinning hair, and he is suspected to have metal work and welding experience. The authorities are casting a wide net, urging anyone with information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, to come forward. As the search continues, the FBI's sizable bounty for data leading to this arsonist's capture hangs in balance, signaling the gravity with which they view the attack on the electoral process.