Burbank Police Announce Arrest of Serial Arson Suspect
Originally published 8-8-23
by the Burbank Police Department:
“Burbank, California – A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson following a series of fires deliberately set overnight.
Between the hours of 10:20 PM and 1:40 AM, the Burbank Police (BPD) and Fire Departments (BFD) responded to 11 different reports of an unidentified person setting dumpsters, bushes, and trash on fire. The locations of these incidents were concentrated to the southwest portion of the city.
BPD and BFD were able to quickly extinguish each fire before it spread to any structure. No injuries were reported.
During the investigation, police officers obtained surveillance footage that captured the suspect and his vehicle. Early this morning, at about 1:40 AM, BPD and BFD responded to a twelfth reported fire behind Starbucks, located at 347 North Pass Avenue. When police officers arrived, they located cardboard on fire to the rear of the business and quickly extinguished it.
Officers searched the area and detained a man inside of Vons, located at 301 North Pass Avenue, who matched the description of the suspect.
The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Tigran Gazdhyan, a resident of Reseda, CA. He was arrested and booked for multiple counts of arson, all felonies, as well as a probation violation hold. Mr. Gazdhyan is being held without bail and is due to appear in court on August 10, 2023.
Formal charges are pending review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators are looking into the possibility Mr. Gazdhyan is also responsible for additional fires in the Toluca Lake area, under similar circumstances and time frame.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about these fires is asked to call Detective Cameron Mencuri, at (818) 238-3210.”
