A Massachusetts man poured gasoline on an unoccupied police cruiser and cheered after he lit it on fire Tuesday night, police said.
The Southbridge man accused of torching the K-9 cruiser Tuesday night is set to be arraigned Wednesday morning.
Police say 45-year-old Arthur Burnham entered the Southbridge Police Department’s rear parking lot, doused an unoccupied cruiser in gasoline and lit it on fire.
He was seen cheering with his arms in the air once the cruiser was up in flames.
Burnham has been charged with arson of a motor vehicle and malicious destruction of property.
Walking past the media in handcuffs, Burnham told reporters he did it because his civil rights were "violated."
Authorities say Burnham is well-known to police and has made threats in the past, including, they say, talk of suicide by cop. In fact, officers have had more than a dozen other run-ins with him.
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Investigators say each time Burnham has told officers he's been wronged by police.
He remains held on $5,000 cash bail.
