A 44-year-old French North African now placed in preventive detention.
The arsonist suspected of setting fire to more than 21 vehicles in the parish of Benfica over several days was caught red-handed and is now behind bars, unable to cause further damage.
PSP police were able to arrest the man following calls from residents Monday evening – the night 10 other vehicles were targeted.
The damage was “no greater,” reports say, as officers were able to extinguish the flames upon arrival on scene, with extinguishers set up from their own vehicles.
The arrested man, described as a French national from North Africa, acted with an accomplice, who has not yet been identified.
The man arrested is believed to be a homeless man, one of many homeless people in the capital. It's not clear whether he has any links to the “neighborhood gangs” that rampaged through various areas of Lisbon last week, following the police shooting of Odair Moniz – but he appears to be “in the frame » other incidents of criminal damage – destruction of two motorcycles (also by fire), attacks on two buildings, a store and several trash cans.
