Silver Lake Daily Newsletter.com

Zakrezwski accused of Fires, Theft and Vandalism:

Bizarre series of crimes, including arson, puts Batavia man in jail

A Batavia man was arrested and jailed Sunday after he went on a crime spree that included setting fire to a chair at 400 Towers apartments and inside a parked car, city police said.

Matthew T. Zakrezwski, 42, also is accused of stealing a bicycle, which eventually led to his arrest.

Police, along with city fire investigators, were called to 400 Towers to investigate a fire in the chair in the communal area of the complex.

A short time later, other officers were dispatched for a report of the larceny of a bicycle on Bank Street. Police received a description of the suspect and found Zakrezwski, who was taken into custody on charges of criminal trespassing and petit larceny. He also matched the description of the person who set fire to the chair.

Officers received another report that someone had broken windows on a parked car and set fire to the inside.

Video footage from nearby neighbors showed Zakrezwski breaking the window, entering the car and using items inside to start a fire.

Detective Sgt. Matthew Lutey said “there were a lot of things going on in a short period of time.”

He said Zakrzewski offered no explanation as to why he allegedly committed all these crimes and that it appears that he had no motive.

Zakrzewski was additionally charged with second-degree arson, attempted arson, second-degree burglary and criminal mischief. He was arraigned in City Court and committed to Genesee County Jail with bail set at $50,000.

A parole detainer also was placed on Zakrzewski. He, however, is not listed as having been imprisoned, according to the state Department of Corrections inmate site.

He does have a criminal history, including charges of obstruction of governmental administration in 2021 and a menacing and criminal mischief conviction in 2017.

He also was charged with sexually abusing a child in 2014 but the outcome of that case was not known. He is not listed on the state Sex Offender Registry, which is for Level 2 and 3 offenders.       Story by SCOTT DESMIT-sdesmit@batavianews.com