2 arrested in third arson attempt at Hawthorne house
Two 18-year-old men were arrested today when they were discovered pouring gasoline onto a Hawthorne house, the third time an attempt was made to burn it down, police said.
Officers arrested Jonathan Palomo of Los Angeles and Erik Bloom of Dana Point on suspicion of attempted murder and arson, Hawthorne police Lt. Michael Ishii said.
Police found the men about 2:45 a.m. when they responded to a report of a suspicion man in the 13500 block of Glasgow Place. The man was looking into the windows of a house and pouring gasoline outside it, Ishii said.
The man ran, but was caught after a short foot chase.
Police searched the area and found gasoline containers, "several Molotov cocktails, indicating the subject was in the process of setting a house on fire," Ishii said.
The other man was discovered in an apparent getaway vehicle parked nearby. More evidence was found in the car, Ishii said.
Each suspect was held on $2 million bail.
The house was occupied, but no one was hurt.
Police did not release the motive behind the apparent arson attempt, but have been investigating two other tries to set the house ablaze. Detectives are looking into whether Palomo and Bloom are linked to the other cases.
On May 18, county firefighters and police officers responded to the house when the residents found their door on fire. The residents put it out themselves.
Another failed arson attempt occurred there on March 24.
Lawndale-based Edward Jenkins Realty owns the house. Jenkins and property manager Ruthann Brag could not be reached for comment Friday.
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Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
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Wow thats crazy - I live down the street and feel so bad for those people. I saw the damage the last time. Why didn't these people install security cameras or something? Thanks to HPD for stepping up in the last few weeks. Hollyglen is under siege.