TULSA, Okla. — The Tulsa Fire Department said someone set a series of dumpster fires in downtown Tulsa on Sunday night.
“They responded to about six dumpster fires, four of which we were able to locate footage from local businesses from the R-Tic system and our fire investigators were able to identify the suspect who set four of those fires,” said Andy Little with Tulsa Fire Department.
Little said fire investigators worked into the night on Monday to find Michael Westley.
“Trying to track this individual down, they were stopping by all of the shelters, all of the places there are resources because they believed this individual was a homeless man,” Little said.
By Tuesday afternoon, investigators found and arrested Westley at a park near 6th Street and Frankfurt Avenue.
“A call actually came in for a man that was not wearing clothes running around a park,” said Little. “Our officers responded, and it turns out, it was the same individual.”
Westley was booked into Tulsa County jail on four counts of third-degree arson and one count of outraging public decency.
Little said the first two fires were set within 20 minutes of each other and the next two about two hours later.
Multiple of these fires were set at apartment complexes.
“There is kind of a path that they follow,” said Little. “...He was not shy about being in cameras. He looked at several of the cameras where he was setting those fires.”
Little said, fortunately, no one was hurt, and the fires didn’t cause more damage.
“They could have spread to cars or injured someone and oftentimes we see these people that set arson fires, willfully and maliciously damaging property, sometimes they escalate, and they move to buildings or homes so we cannot tolerate that kind of activity in Tulsa,” said Little. “I am super proud of our investigators for their work.”