Police have arrested a man that they believe is responsible for a string of fires throughout Los Angeles. Officials said that the “person of interest” has been detained and will be booked on arson charges this afternoon.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck, said:
“I feel very good that we’ve got the right guy. [The suspect] had the right stuff in his van, and we are very confident we found our man.”
Police did say, however, that the investigation is ongoing.
The L.A. Times reports that the serial arsonists has lit more than 50 fires throughout Los Angeles. The fires have caused more than $2 million in damage
Police have not released the identity of the suspect but did say that the person of interest is a native of Germany. Officials also said that the suspect may have been in a dispute with immigration officials.
The LAPD found materials inside the man’s van which may have been used to set the fires.
Here’s a video from the Associated Press about the L.A. arsonist.
CBS reports that fifty three fires have been set in the last week in Los Angeles. The majority of the fires were set inside apartment carports. No one has been seriously injured in the fires, but the fires have caused more than $2 million in property damage.
Police are confident that they have the “right guy,” but police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said that detectives are still “working on hundreds of clues, interviewing dozens of witnesses, picking up countless pieces of evidence.”