Man charged with arson after intentionally setting several fires in Baltimore, police say

BALTIMORE -- A man is facing charges in connection with a string of arsons in Baltimore, according to police.

Baltimore police said 61-year-old Bernard Stepney intentionally set a fire in the 300 block of West Mulberry Street, a mailbox fire in the 400 block of Cathedral Street, and fires in the 500 block of West Franklin Street, 500 block of East Baltimore Street, and the 400 block of East Fayette Street.

Charging documents detail another fire, in the 600 block of East Baltimore Street. 

Police said an officer saw a Blue Ford Transit Van with a broken back window, and fire showing through the passenger compartment through the open back window.  When Baltimore City firefighters responded to the fire, they discovered it had been intentionally set. 

The van was a Baltimore City Police Department rental vehicle, and the damages totaled about $30,000, charging documents said. 

Police said surveillance footage showed a suspect wearing tan pants, a dark jacket, a red hooded sweatshirt, and a blue backpack pull up behind the van around 1:15 a.m. on November 25 and place a burning object into the back of the truck. He then fled the scene on the bike towards Market Place.

In an investigation, police used footage from CitiWatch Cameras to track the suspect back to an apartment unit where they said Stepney was living. 

Stepney was arrested on December 3, and taken to central booking, where he was charged with second-degree arson, first-degree malicious burning, and other fire-related charges.