Police in Hachioji are on the lookout for a suspected serial arsonist after 10 vending machines were set alight on Monday.

According to police, a resident in Katakuracho reported finding a vending machine on fire at around 2 a.m. Following that call, another two reports were received of similar incidents a few hundred meters away, TV Asahi reported.

Police say the crimes were committed in the same way at each location. Investigators added that seven other similar fires were reported in the area last week, leading police to believe that a single arsonist may have been responsible for all of the incidents.

In each event, police said, the fire was started in the coin return area. Investigators say the fires may have been started in an attempt to steal change from the machines.

© Japan Today