Norfolk, Va. - The homeowner charged with arson after a fire destroyed his home early Thursday morning spoke to reporters from the Norfolk City Jail on Friday.
40-year-old Christopher Beaucage says despite the arrest, he has nothing to do with his home going up in flames.
"How am I supposed to know who started the fire? I wasn't there!" he says.
But police say Beaucage is the one who started it, which is something he adamantly denies.
"No, I did not start the fire. No. Why would I? I love that house. I was trying to fix the house up. I was in the middle of a remodel as a matter of fact. The house was not finished yet," he says.
Around 4:00 a.m. Thursday morning, a neighbor called 911 to report that the home was on fire. By late afternoon, Beaucage had been arrested and charged.
"The police hate me. They're trying to make me look bad, really bad," he says.
He says he was at his girlfriend's house when the 911 call was made.
As for who did set the fire, Beaucage says he doesn't know. But he does say his home was recently robbed and he thinks it could be that person.
"There was somebody. I noticed somebody was stealing some stuff. I was trying to find out who was going in there, back and forth that day, five and six times, popping in and out. Who's stealing all my stuff," he says.
For now, Beaucage has been charged with arson. He remains in the Norfolk City jail without bond.
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