By Barbara Jones and Susan Abram
Long Beach Press-Telegram
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — A 24-year-old man was in custody Monday in connection with a four- day arson spree across Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley that caused nearly $3 million in damage to vehicles and buildings and sparked widespread fear among residents, officials said.
Harry Burkhart, who police say lives in an apartment in Hollywood, was spotted and pulled over by a part-time reserve deputy, outside a drugstore around 3 a.m. Monday near Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in West Hollywood.
His arrest capped four nights of fires in which dozens of cars were set ablaze and in many cases, flames jumped to carports and apartment units. One firefighter was injured and one person suffered smoke inhalation, but there were no casualties. In all, 52 fires were set.
“These were serious, potentially deadly crimes that needlessly endangered thousands of lives,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during an evening press conference. “These crimes will not be tolerated in the city of Los Angeles, in the county, in the city of West Hollywood, or anywhere.”
Police and fire officials with five law enforcement agencies expressed relief with the arrest, but cautioned that hundreds of pieces of evidence and interviews, as well as information culled from search warrants, awaited review. And they asked residents to remain vigilant, in case copy-cat arsonists emerged.
Still, all agreed that Burkhart fit the description of a person of interest shown on surveillance video emerging from an underground parking garage off Hollywood Boulevard.
“We think this guy acted alone, but we’re still investigating,” Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said.
He also said the investigation needed to proceed cautiously. Police would not release details of how the fires were set, or what other clues led them to believe Burkhart was their main suspect.
“An arrest is not a prosecution and prosecution is not a conviction,” Beck reminded reporters at the news conference. “We have a long way to go. But this is the best example that I’ve ever seen of cooperation between agencies. Four days ago, this task force didn’t exist. Four days ago, this crime didn’t exist.”
Beck attributed Burkhart’s capture to the decision to release surveillance video on Sunday, showing a shadowy figure of a large man dressed in all black. Law enforcement described the man as having a receding hairline and a shoulder-length ponytail.
By 10 p.m. on Sunday, law enforcement had received reliable tips on Burkhart’s identity.
“There was a dragnet put over this city, that’s why he was caught,” said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the county sheriff’s department.
Burkhart was driving a dark-colored Dodge van with Canadian license plates, which officials said resembled information released by the Joint Arson Task Force.
Shervin Lalezary, a Beverly Hills real estate attorney and part- time reserve sheriff’s deputy who earns $1 a year for his service, spotted Burkhart’s van and pulled him over.
Lalezary and two other deputies were credited by Baca for calmly calling for backup that led to Burkhart’s arrest.
“The residents of Hollywood and West Hollywood can finally get the rest they deserve,” Baca said. “This is the arrest of the most dangerous arsonist in the county that I can recall.”
Lalezary, 30, who smiled into news cameras after receiving unexpected applause from reporters when he was introduced, said little to the media.
“I’m ecstatic that law enforcement gets to share in the spotlight,” he said.
Burkhart was booked on suspicion of one count of arson of an inhabited building, but officials said additional charges likely will be added. He was being held on no bail and is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.
Burkhart was described as a German national who made threats during a federal court hearing last week over the deportation of his mother. Authorities wouldn’t reveal his mother’s status.
West Hollywood Mayor John Duran compared the arson spree to terrorism.
“We had a test run of a form of domestic terrorism and we saw what worked,” Duran said. “It was a test of urban evil.”
City and county leaders however expressed collective gratitude toward city and county fire investigators, the LAPD, the sheriff’s department and members of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
“Our long, four-day nightmare is over,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. “This has been, literally, a nightmare for people who live in the Westside of Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and the city of West Hollywood. I live in that community and I haven’t had a good night’s sleep.”
The string of fires began Thursday night with a handful of blazes began in the Hollywood area. The Fire Department responded to 17 car fires on Friday night. By Saturday morning, several cars had burned in North Hollywood, Sun Valley and Burbank. Police said just before the suspect was detained, 11 additional blazes had been started.
Copyright 2012 Long Beach Press-Telegram