Name of Arrested Arson Spree Suspect Released Harry Burkhart, 24, is suspected in about 53 arson cases.

Just how many arsons do you have to be suspected of before you get arrested?

KTLA News -- January 2, 2012

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KTLA) -- Police have released the name of the man arrested on suspicion of the rash of recent car fires in and around the Hollywood area.

The man's name is Harry Burkhart, 24, a resident of the Hollywood area. He was booked about 1:45 p.m. today at the Inmate Reception Center in downtown L.A., according to booking records. His bail was set at $250,000.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said very few details about Burkart will be released today, citing the ongoing investigation as the reason why the information will be withheld.

"An arrest is not a prosecution," Beck said in a news conference Monday evening. "A prosecution is not a conviction. We are very confident in this arrest but we have a long way to go and I think it's important the media and the public recognize that."

An arrest is not even a conviction - just ask O.J. Simpson!

A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy spotted a mini-van about 3 a.m. Monday driving in the area of Sunset Boulevard. and Fairfax Ave. that matched a vehicle description put out by arson investigators.

Sunset Boulevard was closed while police searched the Burkhart's mini-van. He was detained as a person of interest and later arrested.

Burkhart is expected to be booked on arson charges sometime Monday afternoon.

Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that detectives found materials that could have been used to set fires inside Burkart's van.

The van had Canadian license plates, but detectives think Burkhart might originally be from Germany, the Times reported.

Officials speaking on condition of anonymity told the Times that Burkhart appears to have been battling the U.S. government over the immigration status of a relative. It wasn't clear if that played any role in the case.

No new fires have been reported since Burkart's arrest, officials said.

Burkart is believed to be the same person seen in a surveillance video released by police Sunday. The surveillance video shows a man wearing all black leaving the scene of a car fire Saturday night inside the parking structure at the Hollywood and Highland complex.

Police say a man resembling Burkhart has been caught on surveillance at several scenes where fires have been lit since Friday.

Meanwhile, there were at least 11 new fires set early Monday. Nine were in Los Angeles and two were in West Hollywood, fire officials said.

The fires began about 1:30 a.m., and mostly involved cars and carports in apartment complex, fire officials said.

One of the fires burned at least four cars and several apartment units on Alfred Street near La Cienega Blvd.

The new blazes bring the total number of fires to 53.

The arson wave is the worst the city has seen since the 1992 riots, officials said.

A joint task force of city and county fire and police department personnel is investigating the fires.

Officials from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined them Monday.

Authorities have not said what evidence ties the fires together, or how the blazes were set.

Villaraigosa said Monday that the fires have caused more than $3 million in damage.

Authorities arrested 22-year-old Samuel Arrignton, of Sunland, last Thursday near Sunset Blvd. and La Brea Ave. He is suspected of starting three fires in a ten-block stretch of Sunset early Thursday. He was booked on suspicion of arson, and is being held on $75,000 bail.

Alejandro Pineda, 55, was arrested in connection with a trash fire in the 1300 block of McCadden Place early Friday morning. Pineda was booked on suspicion of arson of property, and his bail was set at $50,000.

To report any fire believed to be arson or of suspicious origin, call the 24-hour L.A. County Arson Hotline: 1-800-633-2836 or the City of Los Angeles Arson Hotline: 213-893-9800.

Fire investigators have also set up Facebook and Twitter pages to provide the public with updates about the case.