German man's arrest in arson brings L.A. relief LOS ANGELES - It was another night of firefighters scrambling across the nation's second largest city to snuff out a series of arson attacks when a tip came in about a German man who matched the description of someone with a shoulder-length ponytail captured on a surveillance video near where a car fire was reported. A man identified as Harry Burkhart, 24, is taken into custody for questioning regarding a string of Los Angeles arson attacks, Jan. 2, 2011. Five hours later Harry Burkhart was pulled over by a reserve sheriff's deputy who works for $1 a year and later booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling. Since the arrest, firefighters have not responded to any other suspicious fires. While the investigation is ongoing - authorities haven't ruled out the possibility that others may be involved - Burkhart's arrest was a measure of relief to anxious residents who had grown fearful after several nights of seemingly random blazes. "Our long four-day nightmare is over," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. CBS News correspondent Lee Cowan says Burkhart is suspected of starting as many as 53 car fires over 4 days -- many spreading to the apartment buildings above. Cowan says Burkhart is believed to be the same man caught on surveillance cameras leaving one of the crime scenes - and he's being held without bail. Los Angeles arson suspect ID'd as detained man Man detained in L.A. arson attacks Security video analyzed in L.A. car fires Police declined to reveal any motive for more than 50 fires that have occurred since Friday in Hollywood, neighboring West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley, causing about $3 million in damage. However, the 24-year-old who told officers he's from Frankfurt may have been upset about his mother's legal woes. When asked at a news conference about reports that an immigration problem with Burhkart's mother may have been a factor, authorities declined to comment. Galina Illarionova, who lives in the same apartment complex as the suspect, told reporters through a Russian translator that an agitated Burkhart visited her Sunday and said his mother was having some kind of legal problems. He told her his mother was in trouble with authorities and wanted Illarionova to attend a legal hearing with him, but he later said he didn't need her help. "We are very confident in this arrest, but we have a long way to go," said Police Chief Charlie Beck, who mentioned receiving information from federal authorities who recognized Burkhart from the video. They believed he had been involved in removal hearings in immigration court, but they didn't specify how he was involved. Burkhart is being held without bail and was called by Sheriff Lee Baca as the "most dangerous arsonist in Los Angeles County that I can recall." Authorities didn't know how long he's been in the United States and said he isn't cooperating with them. Thirty-year-old real estate attorney and reserve Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff Shervin Lalezary, left, is applauded by Los Angeles County Sheriff Le Baca, center, and the rest of the attending officials at a task force news conference for his arrest of prime suspect Harry Burkhart, sought in a series of 53 blazes in the Los Angeles Area, Jan. 2, 2012. One of Baca's reserve deputies, Shervin Lalezary, pulled over Burkhart's van sought by arson investigators shortly after 3 a.m. Lalezary works as an attorney and he said was glad he helped out. "I'm ecstatic that law enforcement gets to shine a little bit," he told reporters. Most of the fires began in cars, and authorities have not said how they were started. But police said Monday that those suspects were not connected with the 52 other blazes.