An incident at an Oceanside movie theater complex escalated into a serious crime scene late last month, and last night, Oceanside Police confirmed an arrest had been made. Last Wednesday at 10:19 PM, emergency responders were summoned to 401 Mission Ave, facing flames and smoke billowing from a theater drainage pipe. According to the Oceanside Police Department, the coordinated efforts of firefighters from Oceanside, Vista, and Carlsbad helped extinguish the fire before it could cause more extensive damage. However, repair costs are still estimated at over $10,000.

An inquiry into the fire was swiftly initiated by arson investigators from the Oceanside Fire Department in collaboration with detectives from the Oceanside Police Department, this investigation quickly evolved from routine to criminal after the collected evidence pointed towards intentional setting, video surveillance from the area eventually led to the identification of a suspect. Yesterday, 41-year-old Amber Iovino was arrested and charged with arson; during the arrest, Iovino confessed to the crime and is now facing the consequences of her actions in San Diego County Jail, as per the police press release.

The charges are severe: PC 451(b) implies the arson of an inhabited structure—a felony offense that signals the gravity of Iovino's alleged actions. The Oceanside Police Department, while seemingly satisfied with this resolution, continues to solicit additional information; they have reached out to the public, urging anyone with information about this act of arson to contact Detective Smith at (760) 435-4341.