NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - The NYPD has captured a suspect in connection with starting two fires in restaurant bathrooms near Penn Station in Manhattan. Both incidents took place Sunday afternoon at restaurants on 8th Avenue, police said.
On Wednesday evening, Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea tweeted that the "man wanted in connection with a pattern of garbage fires set inside of commercial establishments has been identified and apprehended."
As of Wednesday night, the police department had not released the suspect's name or the charges he faces.
In the first case, a McDonald's worker noticed smoke starting to come from the bathroom and called 911 at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Police investigated and determined that a man had intentionally set the contents of a trash can on fire in the bathroom. The fire caused only minor damage caused to the trash can. No one was hurt.
Then about 10 minutes later, a restaurant worker at the Famous Famiglia Pizzeria, which is next door to the McDonald's, noticed smoke coming out of the bathroom and called 911.
Again, it appeared the fire was intentionally set in a trash can. Only minor damage was caused to the trash can and no one was hurt.