Search on for arsonist who torched Dumpsters in Monroe

Search on for arsonist who torched Dumpsters in Monroe »Play Video
MONROE, Wash. -- Police here are searching for an arsonist who lit a total of seven fires inside trash cans and dumpsters Tuesday night.

The 911 calls started streaming into dispatchers about a dumpster fire here, a garbage can fire there -- all within a mile of each other.

Melted plastic from those burning trashcans was littered on sidewalks, a Dumpster was found torched off Main Street and another Dumpster was scorched behind Park Place Middle School.

A couple of wood palates were found charred, as was a newspaper recycling bin that was right in front of the Skyway food bank.

One of the fires destroyed Virginia Rogers' recycling bins, and the whole back-side of her brother's SUV.

"What is a kid doing out at that time of morning anyway?" Rogers wondered.

School officials believe one person is behind the arsons. Police don't have a suspect, but they say they want to talk with a man spotted riding a BMX-style bike in the same area Tuesday night.

"Anybody who is riding a bike in those hours is suspicious and we always contact them," said Debbie Willis with Monroe Police.

It could be the same man a clerk at a nearby gas station said walked inside overnight and asked for matches. Since they don't sell any, the clerk said he bought a lottery ticket, jumped on a BMX bike and pedaled away.

If you have any information on the arsons, you can call Monroe Police.