44-year-old French North African now held in preventive custody
The fire-raiser suspected of torching over 21 vehicles in the parish of Benfica over a period of days has been caught ‘in flagrante’ and is now behind bars, unable to cause further damage.
PSP police were able to arrest the man following calls by residents on Monday night – the night another 10 vehicles were targeted.
Damage was ‘only not greater’, say reports, because agents were able to douse flames when they arrived at the scene, with fire extinguishers from their own vehicles.
The arrested man, described as a French national from North Africa, acted with an accomplice, who has yet to be identified.
The arrested man is believed to be a homeless person – one of many in the capital. It is not clear if he has any links with the ‘neighbourhood gangs’ that went on the rampage in various areas of Lisbon last week, following the police shooting of Odair Moniz – but he does seem to be ‘in the frame’ for other incidents of criminal damage – the destruction of two motorbikes (also by fire), attacks on two buildings, a shop and a number of rubbish bins.
