GUILTY CA - Harry Burkhart charged in Hollywood arson spree, 2011

[waltzingmatilda]

I thought the same thing about the beard. LadyL, I thought I could see a faint beard in the parking garage video. LOL, I reviewed it first thing after dotr's link.

I can't really see the beard at all in the photo of the POI in the back of the police car. I guess it is the same guy who was arrested though....the hairline looks similar, IMO.

wm

 

[LadyL]

http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/02/la-arson-arrested-arsonist/#.TwHIDr_TjhM
"Several witnesses report seeing a creepy smile on the man's face (below).


8:13 AM PT: Police say fire-starting materials were found in the man's van, which displayed Canadian license plates. According to reports, the materials include charcoal."

[bbm]

I thought I saw him smiling in the back of the police car but couldn't be sure - shot wasn't close enough - so didn't want to start a rumour

 

[jjenny]

I don't see any beards but people have to remember that beards can be shaved or beards can be fake.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Good thinking, jjenny. It may very well be a fake beard since it appears much lighter than his dark Steven Seagall-like hair color and style.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Interesting quote from an L.A. Times story this morning:

Aaron Arellano, who works the graveyard shift at a gas station across from where authorities stopped a blue minivan with the man inside, said that at first there were only three squad cars near the minivan.

Then "little by little" more police and fire vehicles arrived until there was a mass of about two dozen on Sunset Boulevard, said the 28-year-old Arrelano. He said police officers -- some of whom came into the gas station for coffee -- told him they had caught "one of the arsonists."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/arson-fires-person-of-interest-creepy-smile.html

BBM.

 

[dotr]

I don't see any beards but people have to remember that beards can be shaved or beards can be fake.

They can also be singed!!

 

[marie-chantal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45846126/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/


Detectives served a search warrant at a home in the San Fernando Valley


can those of you from the area tell me where the Valley is in relation to all the fires?

The Valley is adjacent to West Hollywood, separated by the mountains that make up the Hollywood Hills. The areas of North Hollywood and Sun Valley (locations of some of the fires) are part of the Valley. West Hollywood and Laurel Canyon are in the hills that border the Valley to the south.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Can someone with better eyesight than me review this video and determine the time lapse from when the POI ascended up the stairs until the time he desended down the stairs? It appears to me to be less than a minute? I think this video is backwards by the time stamps. Help! And Thanks! It is the 2nd vid.......

http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/02/la-arson-arrested-arsonist/

 

[marie-chantal]

The time stamp on the video shows that he entered at 10:55; he comes up the escalator/stairs at 10:59 according to the time stamp. The video is in slow motion (you can tell this by the movements of the people in the front of the screen at the 10:59 mark), but I'm assuming that the time stamp is accurate.

 

[Steely Dan]

I thought the same thing Steely. If the fires stop, then he might be the guy.

I hope LE questions this POI for numerous hours. I haven't heard anything about the search warrant. It is still early on the west coast so hopefully we will have some news later today. fingers crossed.

I am so angry that these residents have been displaced from their homes, lost their cars and are living in fear!:furious:
MOO

wm

LA Arson arrest - YouTube

wait a sec ... I didn't see a beard on the guy from the other video (?)

ETA: just looked at the parking garage video again - I suppose I see what could be a beard, possibly tied with a hairband (?)

I didn't see a beard at all on the news conference video from the guy coming up the stairs that cops released. JMO

 

[waltzingmatilda]

The time stamp on the video shows that he entered at 10:55; he comes up the escalator/stairs at 10:59 according to the time stamp. The video is in slow motion (you can tell this by the movements of the people in the front of the screen at the 10:59 mark), but I'm assuming that the time stamp is accurate.

THANKS MUCH, Marie-chantal! I must have mistaken 10:59 for 10:54. I definately need new specs, :floorlaugh:

wm

 

[fran]

Person Of Interest Detained In Connection To Rash Of Arsons

“I feel very good that we’ve got the right guy,” Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck said.”(The suspect) had the right stuff in his van, and we are very confident we found our man.”

A total of 53 fires were set in the Los Angeles area from Dec. 30 through Jan. 2: 45 in LA, according to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

video and photo of suspect in custody at link ....................... http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012...est-detained-in-connection-to-rash-of-arsons/



PS....I don't see a beard on the man in custody.
:twocents:
fran

 

[katydid23]

I just saw an interview on CNN. Very informative reporter named Casey Wyands or 'something.'lol

Anyway, he said that he went to the Hollywood Fire station command center at 1 am this morning and at that time the Fire captain told him all was quiet, no fires at all. Then he said in the next few hours there were a dozen random fires that were all over the same usual territory. BUT, LUCKILY, a reserve deputy who was out searching for the arsonist happened upon the suspect, parked in a Hollywood neighborhood. And they searched the car and found the kind of accelarent that the perp had been using and other evidence of the crimes. He was arrested, and the FIRES STOPPED.

 

[wfgodot]

Now, perhaps, we'll see if the "copycats" theory holds water. I was inclined to think that the arsonist was working in tandem with others. Should be interesting to find out the facts.

 

[katydid23]

Now, perhaps, we'll see if the "copycats" theory holds water. I was inclined to think that the arsonist was working in tandem with others. Should be interesting to find out the facts.

I think there might have been a couple of 'phony' incidents thrown in there. Like that auto repair business for example. It was a perfect time for an underwater business to go up in flames. And maybe one or two were copycat arsonists who felt emboldened. Hopefully no one else will continue to set fires here now.

However, did I hear it right that there is a new rash of arson in NYC right now?

 

[katydid23]

They arrested a 22 yr old and a 55 yr old according to breaking news on CNN just now. ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[JoeFromLB]

They arrested a 22 yr old and a 55 yr old according to breaking news on CNN just now. ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I just heard a police spokesman say the suspect arrested this morning is 55 years old. He looks a lot younger to me in the video of his arrest, more like 30-35.

 

[katydid23]

I just heard a police spokesman say the suspect arrested this morning is 55 years old. He looks a lot younger to me in the video of his arrest, more like 30-35.

Local news is now reporting that there have been TWO arrests so far. And another press conference is scheduled but I did not hear exactly what time.

ETA: CNN is going to the mayor of West Hollywood after the commercial.

 

[katydid23]

Mayor: "We can sleep tonight. "
"TWO people arrested and we always thought there were more than one responsible for the fires.
I am surprised no one was injured or killed. Thank goodness we had neighbors watching out for neighbors."

" We did see some goodness in spite of this urban evil."

 

[JoeFromLB]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/la-fire-su...ispute-sources/story?id=15272836#.TwIWJuuTZPU

The prime suspect in the series of up to 55 blazes in the Los Angeles area told authorities upon his detention, "I hate America," according to ABC News sources directly involved in the case.