WILKINS TOWNSHIP, PA — The Allegheny County Police Department has announced the arrest of David Harknett, 41, of Pittsburgh, following a series of fires and thefts across the county starting on Monday.
Early Wednesday morning, at 3:21 am, emergency services responded to a report of a commercial structure fire at 3498 William Penn Highway. Visible smoke and flames were reported, and a witness saw a suspicious individual near the scene. This suspect, later identified as Harknett, was spotted hiding behind an electrical transformer.
At 4:45 am the same morning, Harknett was apprehended by Wilkins Township Police. The arrest was made following a coordinated effort by local authorities and the Allegheny County General Investigations Unit.
Investigations linked Harknett to multiple incidents in the area, including additional fires and thefts that began on Monday. Notably, he is suspected in a commercial fire at Christ the Divine Shepherd Parish in Monroville and several vehicle fires and thefts across Monroeville, Pleasant Hills, Brentwood, and Jefferson Hills.
These incidents have caused significant concern in the communities affected, with authorities working to assess the full extent of the damages and losses incurred.