Long Beach, California – A man is being held on $3.25 million bail for going door-to-door and lighting American flags on fire.
John Leo Meylor, 35, of Laguna Niguel, specifically targeted homes with Americans flags and military flags.
A Ring doorbell camera caught Meylor lighting an American flag on fire in the middle of the night on Thursday.
Meylor was charged with 13 counts of arson and violation of parole.
KTLA reported:
Residents of a Long Beach neighborhood are shaken up after an arsonist was caught on camera setting their American flags on fire.
A doorbell camera captures the man lighting up the flags in the middle of the night on Thursday.
The suspect was identified as John Leo Meylor, 35, from Laguna Niguel. He was arrested several hours after the attacks, tracked down by authorities at a nearby park.
Authorities say the suspect has struck at least 14 homes in the same neighborhood.
In a video provided by a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous, the suspect sets the flags on fire with a lighter. He appears to be relaxed, keeping one hand in his pocket. He ensures the flag is fully ignited by flicking his lighter multiple times and touching the flames to the flag. He then calmly walks away from the burning debris.
“We just can’t believe this is happening,” Jane Andrus, a victim, tells KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff. “I walked outside and the pole was charred. The old pole was just charred and there was no flag and something was missing.”
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