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Police Arrest Man Believed To Be Serial Arsonist

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HIALEAH (CBSMiami) – A man police believe is a serial arsonist was arrested by Hialeah police late Wednesday night.

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

According to officers, 51-year-old Armando Hernandez was arrested after undercover detectives observed him lighting his girlfriend's silver Jaguar on fire.

"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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"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.

Hernandez is not accused of just one, but eight felony arson crimes.

Police believe he has been terrorizing his neighborhood by torching seven vehicles and throwing an incendiary device into a neighbor's yard.

The incidents all took place between October 11 and October 29.

"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.

No one was injured in any of the fires.

Police do not have a motive.

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

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