Arsonist Caught After Setting 4 Fires In An Hour: Santa Monica PD

SANTA MONICA, CA — A 34-year-old man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of setting four separate fires over the course of an hour, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

Marco Antonio Rubio, 34, is accused of setting the fires between 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday.

"Four separate fires were intentionally set at multiple locations, posing significant safety risks and damaging public property," police said.

Police said the Santa Monica fires were reported at:

• the 1000 block of Colorado Avenue, where a discarded pillow and cardboard were set on fire
• 16th Street and Michigan Avenue, where a discarded mattress was set on fire
• Memorial Park, where the netting of a little league batting cage was set on fire
• the 1500 block of 18th Street, where a parked vehicle was set on fire

Officers used an aerial drone in their investigation; footage captured by the drone shows one of the fires burning and Rubio's arrest, police said.

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Rubio had a lighter and aerosol canister in his possession when he was arrested, police said.

Rubio was being held on $75,000 bail, according to jail records.

Rubio has a record in California for resisting arrest. He also has a record of multiple previous arrests in Texas on suspicion of resisting arrest, domestic violence, and assault-related offenses, with no prior record of arson-related criminal offenses, according to police.

In the wake of the destructive wildfires that hit Los Angeles County in January, District Attorney Nathan Hochman has vowed to come down hard on those accused on arson.

Earlier this month, a man suspected ofsetting a 100-acre brush fire in the San Fernando Valley was apprehended by bystanders and charged with felony arson.

“As we continue to recover from the devastation of recent wildfires, this case is a stark reminder of the grave threat alleged arsonists pose to our communities,” Hochman said at the time. “We have seen firsthand the destruction, displacement, and loss of life caused by these senseless acts. Let me be clear — if you intentionally set fire to our land, endanger our residents, and threaten our first responders, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”