The arsonist placed in police custody by the gendarmes of the Muret company confessed yesterday, according to our colleagues from The Midi Dispatch. This 27-year-old bus driver is the author of the fire which occurred on August 20, in the premises of the Verbus company, where he was an employee. That day, 19 coaches caught fire in Labarthe-sur-Lèze, causing damage of around 3 million euros. During the hearings, the soldiers of the Muret research brigade received help from a behavioral science specialist from the National Gendarmerie Criminal Research Institute (IRCGN). And the interrogation technique has obviously paid off.

This 27-year-old man was recognized involved in other fires. In particular that of Saint-Lys, in July 2021. At the time, ten buses had been burned. The last 24 hours have above all confirmed the very worrying profile of the defendant. At just 15 years old, the then teenager was suspected of having set fire to his parents’ house. Then around 2021, his name suddenly reappeared in other similar cases. Like this evening when he was having dinner with friends. Strangely, one of the bedrooms accidentally burned down. It was ultimately no coincidence since facing the gendarmes on Wednesday, it was also explained at the origin of this start of fire.

He tried to join the volunteer firefighters

For each of these facts, his motivations are complex. The acting out of this father would be linked to fantasies. His personality reveals a real addiction to fire. Recently, the suspect even tried to join the volunteer firefighters, but his profile was rejected.

Yesterday, the former employee of Verbus was still in the premises of the gendarmerie. For the moment, nothing indicates that this arsonist is involved in the destruction of 100 electric cars, which occurred in Labarthe-sur-Lèze on July 30. A psychiatric expert must now heavily determine whether he suffers from a mental illness. Otherwise, he should be presented to the Toulouse prosecutor’s office this Friday, for an indictment.