The Hollywood Arson Fires

The rash of late night fires have increased in the Hollywood area marring the spanking 2012 new year. The fires have been set in cars, carports and neighboring apartment buildings and the fires locales vary from on or around Hollywood Blvd, to the Hollywood Hills and to as far as Studio City. The fires began in late late December 2012 and over 50 fires have been set so far.

Police suspect an arsonist with a beef against the police or the city authorities as the culprit. Some of my friends and fellow church members live in the area and they are on alert and praying. A few people suspect disgruntled or anarchist types from among the Occupy Movement protesters who had swarmed big in 2011 and even had a protest after the yearly Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. I believe the fires are done by one singular person without a grand political motive. This is personal for this guy and he has done this kind of thing before because it looks like he likes fires.

Update: 1/2/12
Despite round-the-clock surveillance by police and fire officials, two more fires were reported in Hollywood (one near friends who live off Sycamore Ave). The police has released a video of a possible suspect, a portly white male in his 20s-30s with a ponytail leaving the Hollywood & Highland metro.

Update: 1/4/12
Police have caught the arsonist thanks to the alertness of a sheriff reservist who spotted his van off Sunset & Fairfax and to the follow through of some alert policemen who remembered the perp from an immigration hearing. The man is 24 year old, Harry Burkhart, a German national and he matched the suspect on the release police video. Burkhart was apparently very angry that his mother, who has a questionable visa status, has been detained by federal immigration officials here in the U.S. Reports state that his mother is wanted for charges back in Germany and the German authorities wants her extradited back.

Update: 1/5/12
Canadian police report that Burkhart is a suspect in some arson fires there and there are reports of possible mental illness. I remember Burkhart having a weird smirk-like look on his face when he was arrested that made me think that he is not well so I very much believe this. German officials report that his mother is wanted for fraud and fled the country because of it. News report shows very revealing photos of the mother and there are some reports that she may have been involved in online sex sites.


Keep praying for Hollywood!