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Lots Of Questions About Serial Arsonist Remain Unanswered

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HIALEAH (CBSMiami) – As the 2003 Silver Jaguar that was set on fire is towed away, the man accused of setting it ablaze is handcuffed.

"He had all the neighbors scared," said neighbor Alvaro Pacheco.  "Everybody wanted to move from here because this was happening every night."

Much to the shock of neighbors, the suspect 51 year old Armando Hernandez is a former police officer with Miami-Dade and 2 of the 7 vehicles set ablaze belong to the suspect's girlfriend.

"His girlfriend's car was the first car that was set on fire and he served as a witness," said Detective Carl Zogby with the Hialeah Police Department.  "He had seen some suspicious person.  He was trying to lead us down the wrong path."

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Neighbors who've been on edge since the first incident on October 9th say they will now be able to rest.

"I was very concerned," said Gloria Medina, another neighbor of Hernandez. "I couldn't sleep at night.  Everybody would take turns basically watching their cars."

Hialeah police arrested Hernandez Wednesday night after setting up round-the-clock surveillance in the neighborhood around Northwest 79th Avenue and West 34th Lane.

"He ran from us and ran right into his townhouse and we realized that we had a resident who was setting all the cars on fire," said Det. Zogby.

Police say Hernandez is also behind damage to a neighbor's yard, after throwing an incendiary device over the fence.

"He said there was a problem with gangs and that they were following him.  As it turns out, he's the one setting the fires!" said neighbor Pacheco.

"He won't talk to us so we don't know if he's a pyromaniac or if he's got some revenge and he's trying to destroy his neighbors' property," said Detective Zogby.

At one point Hernandez was employed by the Miami-Dade Police Department.

No one was injured in any of the fires, and police do not yet have a motive.

Police said two of the vehicles he set fire to were his girlfriend's.

Hernandez is currently being held in the northwest Miami-Dade Jail.

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