Police are searching for an arsonist who set five Los Angeles County vehicles on fire Wednesday morning.
The flames erupted around 1 a.m. on the third floor of a downtown Los Angeles parking structure in the 200 block of Spring Street after a security guard called authorities.
Fire crews quickly responded to douse the flames but all of the vehicles suffered major damage, according to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson.
It was unclear what the vehicles were used for but the parking fees were being paid by the county.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fires.
Police are searching for a possibly unhoused male suspect who was seen riding a bike in the area. Officers are looking at surveillance videos that may help in the investigation.
Investigators are calling the fire suspicious as the incident follows a recent uptick in suspected arson incidents this month including cars being torched in the Fairfax district, a Fairfax garage fire that forced families to evacuate their homes and a boat being destroyed in Panorama City.
LAPD said although it’s difficult to prevent a random car fire, there are some proactive safety tips drivers can take when parking in downtown L.A.
“Make sure you’re always locking your vehicle,” said LAPD Officer Melissa Podany. “Don’t leave any valuables in plain sight. If you do lose your vehicle in a fire, you don’t want to lose your identification, your passport or anything else important to you.”
Podany said parking under a camera so your vehicle is visible in case something happens is also good practice.
“Be aware of your surroundings,” said Padony. “If something doesn’t look right, feel free to notify the police or notify the parking attendant and have it checked out.”
Investigators are considering a variety of potential suspects for the fires including transients, those with mental illness, someone under the influence of drugs, or even a career “firebug” or arsonist who may be out on probation or parole.
It was not immediately known whether all the recent arson cases were connected.
