Man in custody said to be responsible for 25 fires in Burbank and Glendale
Authorities are saying a homeless man they have in custody is a serial arsonist responsible for a series of fires in Burbank and Glendale that began earlier this year.
Antonio La Clay, 42, is said to be connected to at least 25 arson cases in the two cities that occurred from March to July, according to Tahnee Lightfoot, a spokeswoman for the Glendale Police Department.
Fifteen fires were reported in Glendale and were mostly contained to garbage containers and pieces of trash.
While the fires were small, Lightfoot said the most damaging one happened on June 13 involving a building in the 1500 block of Gardena Avenue. At least $40,000 in damage was reported after a dumpster caught fire in an adjacent alley and spread to the structure.
Burbank also began to experience similar arsons, with 10 cases being reported.
Surveillance footage captured the same man at different arson sites in the Glendale and Burbank, Lightfoot said.
A Glendale firefighter encountered La Clay in Pelanconi Park on July 5 and recognized him as the same man seen in the surveillance footage, Lightfoot said.
Police were called, and La Clay was placed under arrest.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has charged La Clay with six counts of arson, and he is being held on $100,000 bail.
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
