Police: Suspect stayed to watch cars burn after arson

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A suspected arsonist stayed to watch the crime he committed according to Philadelphia Police.

Early Saturday morning the Northeast Community LLC Auto Shop 's surveillance system caught a man on camera torching cars in their lot in the 6100 block of The Roosevelt Boulevard.

A man fitting the same description then set several cars on fire at Hessert Chevrolet in the 6300 block of The Roosevelt Boulevard and their cameras captured him too.

"It was somebody completely unknown, random, just walked by the dealership and reached in , broke a window on a car and set the interior on fire and it spread to the next car, next car, next car ..."

Owner Tom Hessert says six cars were on fire in his lot. While detectives were on the scene at Hessert's a man approached them inquiring about the fire, he looked like the man in the video and was detained.

"It's not uncommon for arsonists they sometimes will stay on the scene because it's the whole thrill of the actual fire that they're looking to see and the response by the fire dept to see how it goes."

Captain John Walker of The second district believes in total he caused $200,000 in damage at both lots.

The suspect's name has not been released he faces felony charges including arson and risking a catastrophe.

Hessert's was able to clean up the damage in time for their Neighborhood Appreciation party.