Newark Man Charged in Boonton Warehouse Arson and Copper Theft

A warehouse manager is accused of stealing $233,000 worth of copper and setting fire to conceal the crime.

BOONTON, NJ – Authorities have charged a 45-year-old Newark resident with multiple offenses—including aggravated arson, burglary, and theft—following an investigation into a November 2024 warehouse fire in the Town of Boonton. According to Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Boonton Police Officer-in-Charge Captain Chris Petonak, Davon Fields was arrested in connection with the two-alarm blaze that reportedly caused significant damage to a commercial warehouse at 95 Fulton Street.

Fire and Initial Investigation

Date/Time: November 3, 2024, at approximately 8:13 p.m.
Response: Boonton Police and Boonton Fire Department initially responded; mutual aid from surrounding departments assisted in extinguishing the flames.
Findings: Investigators identified multiple points of origin, detected a strong odor of petroleum, and recovered what appeared to be a gasoline canister nozzle—signs that the fire was intentionally set. Nearby video surveillance allegedly captured two masked individuals entering the warehouse shortly before the blaze.

Alleged Copper Theft

During the course of the investigation, authorities learned that about $233,000 worth of copper had disappeared from equipment stored inside the warehouse and belonging to a separate company. Fields, the warehouse manager, was placed in the vicinity of the structure on November 1 and again on November 3, near the time of the fire. Investigators also allege that on November 1 and November 2, Fields visited a scrapyard, where he sold “significant quantities of copper.”

Charges and Detention

On January 13, 2025, Fields was charged with:

**Aggravated Arson (2 counts, second-degree)
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Arson (2 counts, second-degree)
Burglary (3 counts, third-degree)
Theft (third-degree)
Criminal Mischief (3 counts, third-degree)
Fencing (third-degree)
Attempt to Tamper with Evidence (third-degree)
Attempt to Hinder (third-degree)
Possession of Burglary Tools (disorderly persons offense)**

Under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Fields is currently detained at the Morris County Correctional Facility pending further court proceedings.

Ongoing Investigation

Prosecutor Carroll commended the Boonton Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Arson and Environmental Crimes Unit, with support from the Special Operations Division, for their coordinated efforts.

A criminal complaint is an accusation only; Fields is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.