Los Angeles police have in custody a 55-year-old man they say is a suspect in 53 car and carport fires since Friday. The man, whose name has not yet been released, was arrested near the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and Sunset Boulevard early Monday. Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Monday morning that he was confident an arsonist suspected of setting dozens of fires over the past three days was off the streets. “I feel very good that we’ve got the right guy,” Beck told City News Service shortly before he began riding with an LAPD equestrian unit in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. “He had the right stuff in his van, and we are very confident we found our man.” The man was spotted after a sheriff’s patrol, which provides law enforcement for West Hollywood, saw the man’s vehicle, a black Dodge minivan with British Columbia license plates, parked outside a Rite-Aid store, according to sources,  KFI News reported . The man may have set fires around Los Angeles out of anger after immigration authorities detained the man’s mother for deportation last week, according to the KFI report. Los Angeles City Fire Capt. Jaime Moore said the property damage from the fires—mostly in Hollywood and West Hollywood — totals about $2 million. The Los Angeles Times reported  an unnamed law enforcement source who said the minivan had Canadian license plates but that detectives believe the man might originally be from Germany. The man’s arrest followed 12 new fires since 1 a.m. Monday in carports around Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills, Sherman Oaks and West Hollywood. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa posted the following message on  his Facebook page  Monday morning: Over the past few days we have been faced with an ongoing series of arson fires committed by an individual with wanton disregard for the lives and property of Angelenos. Thankfully, there have been no lives lost to these criminal acts and only minor injuries to date. After another series of fires last night that brought the total to 54 since Friday, I am encouraged by the detainment this morning of a ‘person of interest’ in Hollywood. While the investigation continues, I am thankful for the ongoing and relentless effort by the LAFD, LAPD and other agencies to respond to these incidents and pursue every lead toward an arrest in the case. I also want to thank Angelenos for their vigilance these past few days and their patience as our public safety agencies worked under extremely challenging circumstances to not only handle the rash of arson fires, but to protect the rest of the city, as well, over the New Year holiday. A total of 53 suspected arson fires have broken out in the Los Angeles area since Dec. 30, Los Angeles Fire Department officials said. Follow  Patch  for updates on this developing story. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on  Twitter  and “Like” us on  Facebook . Go here to read the rest: Suspect Arrested in Connection With Arson Fires