Former Boyfriend Held in Arson Case

A 33-year-old Ventura man was arrested on suspicion of starting a fire inside his former girlfriend’s apartment and attempting to steal $1,000 worth of her property, police said Thursday.

Kevin David Hildreth was taken into custody without incident after investigators found him alone inside the woman’s residence Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

Investigators said Sheila Schaltinat, 37, had told Hildreth earlier Wednesday that she no longer wanted to see him. At that time, they both left the apartment in the 900 block of Weber Circle, police said.

But when Schaltinat returned home from work, Hildreth was in the apartment and refused to leave, police said. She tried to call police but Hildreth had disabled the telephone, police said.

Schaltinat went to a neighbor’s house to call police, who found evidence of a fire in the home and Hildreth attempting to steal $1,000 worth of property, police said.

He was booked into Ventura County Jail, where he is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail on suspicion of arson, grand theft and vandalism, a jail commander said.

He is scheduled to be arraigned today in Ventura County Municipal Court.