On July 12 at about 6:30 a.m., Novato Police officers responded to a report of a brush fire at North Bay Christ Church on Redwood Boulevard. Witnesses reported that a female adult was seen walking away from the fire.
Officers arrived and saw a 30’ X 30’ area actively burning with approximate 10’ high flames. Multiple small structures, including a nativity scene, Star of David, and cross were burned resulting in approximately $2,000 in damage. We are grateful to Novato Fire personnel for quickly extinguishing the flames while officers located the woman seen leaving the scene.
The suspect was identified as 61-year-old Denise Roberts, a Santa Clara resident. Roberts was found to have items used to start the fire and made admissions that religious bias motivated her to start the fire. Roberts was arrested and booked into the Marin County Jail for a hate crime and felony arson of a structure.
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