A firefighter in Carbon County already in jail for arson was slapped with new charges Monday. He's now accused of setting additional fires and stealing from his fire company.
Christopher Karper, 19, of Jim Thorpe was charged last week with torching a cabin in the borough and then responding to fight the fire.
Now he's accused of setting two more fires in Jim Thorpe, one in February when a pharmacy and apartment building burned and a firefighter was hurt, and a garage fire earlier this month.
Court papers state Karper admitted to setting all the fires as well as breaking into his fire company and making off with more than $100.
Police said Karper had one motive.
"Then you have people like this. In my opinion they think it's a joke. We're going to start a fire just so we can put one out. They don't realize people get hurt," said Jim Thorpe Police Chief Barry Andrew.
"You can say it was firefighter boredom. He admits that he needed some action and like I said before, in order to get the action he had to set the fires," said Detective Joe Schatz.
"It's a common theme in the last couple firefighter arson cases that I've worked," said Trooper Dave Klitsch.
Although Karper is 19, he is a junior in high school. A judge ordered him to undergo a mental health exam and set his bail at $250,000.
Officials said Karper has embarrassed the fire service.
"Whenever you can take an arsonist off the street you're doing the whole community a big service," added Chief Andrew.
