KEY WEST, Fla. – Police say they have identified a Leesburg man as one of the two men responsible for starting a fire that damaged the Southernmost Point Buoy, a landmark and tourist attraction in Key West.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Key West police said they obtained arrest warrants for David Perkins Jr., 21, of Leesburg, and Skylar Rae Jacobson, 21, of Henrietta, Texas.
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Police said the two men have both made arrangements to surrender to authorities.
Investigators said the men were caught on several security cameras dragging a Christmas tree to the Southernmost Point Buoy early in the morning on New Year’s Day. The men were seen posing with the tree and the buoy, taking photos with their phones, according to the social media post, and ultimately lighting the tree on fire before running off.
Officers said the flames caused $5,000 worth of damage to the buoy.
Investigators said the two face charges of criminal mischief with damages over $1,000.
The City of Key West's Community Services crews are hard at work restoring the vandalized Southernmost Point Buoy. Depending on the weather, it should be as good as new in three to four days. pic.twitter.com/nv2VkTOJXM
— City of Key West (@City_of_KeyWest) January 3, 2022