Greek authorities arrested a 24-year-old man they charge with starting 16 fires over the past five months. A Fire Service announcement says the man is accused of deliberately setting fire to forests, farmland and empty plots in areas east and northeast of the capital Athens from March 14 to Aug. 1 of this year.
The 24-year-old Greek had drawn the attention of Investigators of the Department of Arson Crimes of the Greek Fire Service as he was present at all these 16 fires pretending he was a volunteer fire fighter.
It turned out that the man had no official qualification for this work.
During the interrogation, investigators were stunned to hear the arsonist stating his motive as pyromania.
“I started the fires because I liked to look at the flames and then come as a fire fighter to help extinguishing them,” the man reportedly said.
According to state broadcaster ERT, after setting the fire, the man would call other volunteer fire fighters about.
It should be noted that all these fires were extinguished in time and before getting out of control.
He is scheduled to appear before a misdemeanor court in Athens.
There always be arsonists and people starting fires deliberately for as long as the Greek Government and their officials with local responsibilities don’t introduce draconian bills properly legislated and never being allowed to be challenged by anybody in Greece. I am afraid this is just a wishful thinking and nothing more.