He had been raging since 2019 without being spotted.
At least until April 16 when a video surveillance camera finally unmasked him.
A 51-year-old man was arrested and placed in police custody on Monday evening for arson in the town of Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, in the Nantes suburbs, reports the national police.
The 50-year-old is suspected of having started four fires in car parks between June 2019 and April 2022. Once from a bicycle room, once from a cellar, another time by setting a parked cart on fire and, finally , by setting fire to bulky items in the basement of a residence.
The damage was significant, sometimes leading to the evacuation of a hundred inhabitants and even the hospitalization of two people.
The total amount of the damage is estimated at more than 365,000 euros.
Considered responsible for his actions
Identified via the analysis of surveillance videos, the arsonist, who lives in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, ended up confessing the facts.
He explains that he acted “by urges after alcohol consumption”.
However, a psychiatric report found him criminally responsible for his actions.
He was presented to court on Wednesday.
According to
Ouest-France
, this Sébastiennais had already been sentenced for similar acts in 1998 and 2009.
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Pays de la Loire