
A suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of arson incidents and a commercial burglary in Santa Monica. The fires, which occurred in the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Lincoln Boulevard, reportedly involved a discarded tire, a trash can owned by the city, and a small garage that sat alarmingly close to a residential apartment complex, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Allen Francisco Contis, identified as homeless, was arrested by the officers after being recognized by multiple witnesses as the alleged arsonist. The 49-year-old was initially detained days earlier on suspicion of burglary when he entered a local business through a broken skylight. However, after that incident, he was cited and released, aligning with the LA County Bail Schedule. Contis faced no immediate detention until the subsequent allegations of arson surfaced.
The Santa Monica Police Department's press release details the arrest of Contis for allegedly igniting multiple fires on Wednesday, May 29. Officers apprehended Contis without incident after linking him to the string of fires that were set earlier that day.
Anyone with information related to this incident or this individual is encouraged to contact Detective Tavera at [email protected] or the Watch Commander 24 hours at 310-458-8427.