Sixth arrest made in telecom mast arson spree

A 32-year-old man has been arrested by police on Tuesday in connection with a May 1 arson attack targeting a transmission mast a short distance outside of Maasbree, a village in Limburg.

Police received several tips from the public after having alerted people on May 22 to the appearance of the suspect's car. Officers were then able to apprehend the suspect. According to the police, the man is currently being held at a local station, where he will be interrogated by authorities.

The development marks the sixth arrest in a spate of at least 29 arson attacks targeting transmission masts across the Netherlands. Many such incidents are believed to be linked to conspiracy theories concerning the use of 5G wireless communications.

Police have said that their primary concern around incidents of this nature is the possibility that they slow down the transmission of 1-1-2 emergency calls. "The impact can be large and is worrying and unacceptable. It is therefore very important that the police stop the arson, track down the suspects and possibly expose their network," said the police in a statement.