63-year-old man charged with setting off more than 150 of explosions in Southern California

A 63-year-old man was charged Monday, May 20, with setting off several explosions in Pasadena over a two-year period, authorities said.

Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Art Leon Berian with three felony counts of explosives with intent to injure or intimidate. He was arrested at the scene of an explosion last week, officials said.

More than 150 explosions have gone off in the area of Allen Avenue and Washington Boulevard in the last two years. In the last two weeks there have been 14 explosions in the same area.

No injuries have been reported in any of the blasts.

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The explosions have gone largely unreported and were identified through the use of ShotSpotter, a gunshot-detection system that was implemented by the City Council last year.

Authorities identified two vehicles possibly involved with the explosions, with the vehicles sharing the same registered owner.

On May 16, detectives were collecting video footage of an explosion related to their investigation when another explosion went off near Allen and Washington , kicking up a white cloud. Berian was spotted near the explosion in a BMW sedan and was taken into custody.

Evidence related to the explosion was found inside the car, police said.

Information on the explosives, including what kind and how many are linked to Berian, was not immediately available.

Anyone with information related to these incidents is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at 626-744-4241 or report information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477).