Arson for Hire  The Men Who Are Burning New York  June 2, 1980
There are two crimes that are more than just felonies—they are
treason. One is the importation, distribution, and sale of
heroin. The other is arson for profit.  There are not crimes of
passion or desperation. They are crimes of organized greed. They
cause the deaths of innocent citizens and brave firefighters.
They kill blocks, ruin neighborhoods, and destroy cities.
Ultimately, these are crimes that annul hope and diminish
humanity.   It was more than two years ago that we first
stumbled upon this city's biggest arson ring of landlords,
lawyers, brokers, and insurance adjusters.  In the winter of
1978, the South Bronx was already a moonscape with abandoned,
charcoaled shards. The cops who worked in the 41st Precinct no
longer called their station "Fort Apache." They called it "The
Little House on the Prairie," because there were so few
surviving buildings or families in the area.    We saw tenants
and small shopkeepers plead for protection, say