US officials alerted LA authorities in arson case

A State Department official says a German man was identified as a suspect in the Los Angeles arson spree because his mother was the subject of a provisional arrest request by Germany.

Speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigations are ongoing, the official told The Associated Press Tuesday thatauthorities learned about Harry Burkhart while working on the mother's case and recognized him in security video of the arson suspect.

"When they saw the security footage, they recognized him and they contacted the arson task force," the official said.

The official said the footage was seen on Sunday and Los Angeles authorities were alerted immediately. Burkhart was picked up on Monday, the official said.

The official didn't know the status of Burkhart's mother, Dorothee, or what type of visas the pair had entered the country on. As German citizens, they would be eligible to come to the U.S. without a visa for 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program.

A federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the case, said Harry Burkhart was present when his mother was arrested Dec. 28 by deputy U.S. marshals and Los Angeles police on the provisional arrest warrant.

It's not known why Germany sought the mother.

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles, said the provisional arrest warrant was under seal.

Dorothee Burkhart remained in custody and was due in court at 1 p.m. Tuesday for a hearing before a U.S. magistrate.

 

She had been in court Thursday afternoon. During that hearing, a man had an outburst and was escorted out of the courtroom by authorities, Mrozek said. He could not immediately verify the identity of the man or what he said.

Provisional arrest warrants are normally issued when there are outstanding criminal charges pending overseas against someone. Ordinarily, U.S. authorities then obtain a U.S. arrest warrant through the State Department and the Justice Department.

A domain name for a website offering appointment-only sensual massage is registered to Dorothee Burkhart. Her name is not mentioned on the website, which states the service is not prostitution.

The series of arson blazes appeared to have halted with Burkhart's arrest. The blazes caused more than $3 million in damage and put Los Angeles residents on edge during the long holiday weekend.

Police have said nothing about a possible motive in the fires set across Hollywood, neighboring West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley.

"We are very confident in this arrest, but we have a long way to go," said Police Chief Charlie Beck.

Harry Burkhart was being held without bail. Authorities didn't know how long he's been in the United States and said he isn't cooperating with them. Sheriff Lee Baca called him the "most dangerous arsonist in Los Angeles County that I can recall."

The onslaught of intentionally set fires kept residents anxious over the holiday weekend in some of the most densely populated areas of the city. Hundreds of investigators, police officers and firefighters raced to deal with the blazes. Police conducted extra patrols all weekend, and the noise of helicopters and sirens persisted virtually nonstop in Hollywood.

The blazes forced many apartment dwellers from their homes. But there were no serious injuries — one firefighter was hurt in a fall from a ladder, and another person suffered smoke inhalation.

The arrest came after another night of firefighters scrambling to snuff out the series of arson attacks. Authorities were looking for a man with shoulder-length ponytail seen on a surveillance video near where a car fire was reported.

Five hours later, Burkhart was pulled over by a reserve sheriff's deputy and later booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling.

While the investigation is ongoing — authorities haven't ruled out the possibility that others may be involved — Burkhart's arrest was a measure of relief to anxious residents who had grown fearful after several nights of seemingly random blazes.

"Our long four-day nightmare is over," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Galina Illarionova, who lives in the same apartment complex as the suspect, told reporters through a Russian translator that an agitated Burkhart visited her Sunday and said his mother was having some kind of legal problems. He told her his mother was in trouble with authorities and wanted Illarionova to attend a legal hearing with him, but he later said he didn't need her help.

One of Baca's reserve deputies, Shervin Lalezary, pulled over Burkhart's van shortly after 3 a.m. Lalezary, who works as an attorney and gets paid $1 a year to serve as a reserve deputy, said was glad he helped out.

"I'm ecstatic that law enforcement gets to shine a little bit," he told reporters.

Most of the fires began in cars, and authorities have not said how they were started.

One of Saturday's fires occurred at the Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex, a popular tourist destination bordered by the Walk of Fame in a neighborhood that includes Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Damaged buildings included a former home of Doors singer Jim Morrison in Laurel Canyon.

Despite the arrest, authorities continued to urge vigilance.

Some other deliberately set fires were reported Thursday in Hollywood, and two people were arrested. But police said Monday that those suspects were not connected with the 52 other blazes.