Gas cylinders with nails stuck in about 70 cars… Surprising reputation of “58-year-old arsonist” who set 6 cars on fire in his apartment.

I set fire to my own car.

On a peaceful morning during Golden Week, a man with long gray hair turned himself in to the police and said, “I set my car on fire. It was about two hours after the incident. The man appeared nonchalant and admitted the charge, saying, “There is no doubt about it.

On May 3, Kanagawa Prefectural Police Kanazawa Station arrested Fumio Hara, 58, an unemployed man living in Yokohama City, on suspicion of arson other than arson of a structure. Hara allegedly set fire to his own mini-car in the multi-story parking lot of his apartment building shortly after 5:00 a.m. that morning. The fire spread to five other cars parked in the parking lot, causing damage to a total of six cars.

A gasoline-like substance was detected at the scene. According to a resident of the apartment building, ‘Bong!　Bong! explosion was heard three or four times. The fire alarm went off loudly, white smoke covered the premises, and a noisy atmosphere enveloped the building from early morning.

Police and firefighters were dispatched after receiving a 110 call. The fire was brought under control about an hour after it started. Fortunately, no one was injured, but Hara’s car, which was charred black, was still freshly exposed at the scene,” said a reporter from a national newspaper.

“Greetings in a whisper.

The apartment building has a separate entrance for cars, which is opened and closed with a key or remote control. Security cameras and other security measures were also in place.

) “On April 28, five days before the arson incident occurred, there was also trouble in the parking lot. Gas cylinders for cassette stoves were placed in the front of about 70 parked cars. Many of the cylinders had nails stuck into them and red tape wrapped around them.

Residents were having a restless time during Golden Week. Security cameras in the area showed a person believed to be suspect Hara moving suspiciously in the parking lot. Apart from the arson case, the police are also investigating the suspect on suspicion of obstruction of business.

According to residents of the apartment building, the suspect Hara did not have a good reputation.

According to a resident of the condominium, Hara’s reputation was not good. “Whenever I passed by him, he would greet me in a whispered voice. I don’t think he socialized with his neighbors very much. I didn’t see him out and about much.

On May 3, just after 11 p.m., a fire broke out in a bicycle parking lot of a condominium in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture, engulfing 17 bikes and bicycles. As in the Yokohama City incident, cassette cylinders were found at the scene. Police are investigating the possibility of a copycat.