A 48-year-old man has been charged with arson, burglary and vandalism in connection with a fire at the Berkeley Animal Care Services shelter earlier this month, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Peter Taraba was taken into custody on June 11, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said.
No people or animals were injured in the June 6 blaze.
Emergency personnel responded to the shelter about 10 p.m. after receiving a burglar alarm followed by a fire alarm, Berkeley police said.
Investigators said someone used a rock to break a window and then ignited the fire using an improvised incendiary device. Detectives later identified the suspect after he returned to the area, police said.