NORTH LAUDERDALE, FL – Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested a Lauderhill man Thursday night for setting fire to a Veterans Memorial in December in North Lauderdale.
On Dec. 3, BSO North Lauderdale deputies responded to Southwest 71st Avenue and Kimberly Boulevard regarding a vandalism incident. Deputies found surveillance video that showed an individual lighting an object, tossing it on the memorial and setting it on fire shortly after 1 a.m.
Detectives with BSO’s Violent Crimes Unit conducted an extensive investigation and later determined the suspect posted his criminal activity on social media.
After identifying the suspect, 21-year-old Brian Bocage, VCU detectives obtained a warrant for Bocage’s arrest. Shortly before 8 p.m., Jan. 13, V.I.P.E.R. (Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response) detectives located Bocage in the 4200 block of Inverrary Boulevard in Lauderhill and arrested him without incident.
Bocage was transported to the BSO Public Safety Building, where he was interviewed by BSO VCU detectives regarding the memorial and by Lauderhill Police detectives about torching their marked patrol vehicle on Jan. 12.
Bocage was booked at BSO’s Main Jail. He faces one count each of arson, possession of a fire bomb, felony criminal mischief ($1,000 or more) and criminal mischief (memorial property) related to BSO’s case and additional charges for the Lauderhill Police Department case.