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Fired Temp And Accomplice Light Co-Woker's Car On Fire

Updated 5:52 p.m. 3/6/11

CHICAGO (STMW) - TTwo men were ordered held on $75,000 bond each Sunday charged with arson for allegedly torching a car belonging to one of their former coworkers in the Pilsen neighborhood on Thursday.

Judge Ramon Ocasio III ordered Elvin Daniel Arocho and Eric Ramos held on $75,000 bond each during a Sunday hearing, according to a Cook County Criminal Courts clerk. They are scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing for March 10, in Br. 44.

Arocho, 21, was charged with felony arson, and misdemeanor counts of possession of cannabis and damage to property while his alleged accomplice, 21-year-old Eric Ramos, was charged with felony arson, felony burglary and misdemeanor damage to property, police said.

Arocho had worked for about a week as a temporary employee at an electrical wiring company at Cullerton and Morgan streets, police said. During his employment, Arocho allegedly took the keys to a full time co-worker's car during a break and made a copy of them.

He put the keys back, and at some point later, he "got on the bad side'' of his supervisors who had a problem with his work habits and he was fired, police said. He came back Thursday night and allegedly burned the car.

About 9:30 that night, Arocho was allegedly seen by a witness throwing something into an Oldsmobile shortly before a small explosion occurred, which caused flames inside the vehicle in the 900 block of West Cullerton Street, according to police News Affairs Officer Michael Fitzpatrick.

Monroe District police officers saw a person matching the description the witness had given of Arocho, and he was arrested. Two lighters were found in his right front pocket, and he also had a clear bag with the cannabis, according to Fitzpatrick.

Arocho allegedly "gave up" Ramos, who was arrested about 15 hours later. Details about the burglary were not immediately available.

Harrison Area detectives are investigating.

© Sun-Times Media Wire Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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