AHOSKIE – The individual sought by the Ahoskie Police in connection with a recent string of suspicious fires is now behind bars.

Brittany Janesa Smith, 24, of 305 West Richard Street, Ahoskie, was taken into custody Monday night after she voluntarily surrendered to police. She was charged with one felony count of arson and placed in the Hertford County Jail under a $100,000 secured bond.

Smith made her first court appearance on Tuesday.

APD Major Jimmy Asbell said Smith called the police department Monday around 10:15 p.m. and said she was turning herself in on the outstanding warrant. APD Lt. Andre Snape met Smith on Rogers Street and placed her under arrest.

Smith had been listed as a person of interest since the first of a series of fires was investigated two weeks ago.

“We’ve constantly checked, without success, to see if she was at her residence,” said Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh in an earlier interview.

Asbell stated that the other five suspicious fires remain under investigation.

Three of the fires – slight damage to two homes and major damage to one vehicle – occurred Aug. 14. There was an attempt made to set fire to another home on Aug. 15.

Two additional cases were reported on Tuesday of last week – a gas jug found burning in the driveway of a residence in the 500 block of Colony Ave. near Church Street, and articles of clothing on fire in the middle of the intersection of Pine and Alton streets.