A California man who allegedly tried to set a homeless man on fire while he was sleeping has been caught by authorities. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office set his bail at $1 million, the Glendale Police Department announced on Tuesday.

Richard Smallets, 32, was caught and charged with attempted murder on Sept. 13.

On Sept. 12, Glendale police officers had responded and assisted the Glendale Fire Department with a small fire on the sidewalk. The police discovered disturbing details about the case in the investigation after the fire had been extinguished.

A homeless man had been sleeping under the cardboard boxes. Luckily he was awakened by the smoke as the cardboard continued to burn, authorities said.

On retrieving security cameras from a nearby business, police saw Smallets setting the homeless man on fire and taking photos of it as the victim desperately tried to douse the fire.

Smallets was caught at Central Park and questioned by the police after a while. He was linked with the arson and charged with attempted murder. The motive behind his actions remains unknown.

Smallets is still in police custody.

homeless man
Residents opposed a plan to turn a New York City hotel into a homeless shelter Thursday, citing cost and safety reasons. Here, a homeless man sleeps in a doorway at Haussmann Boulevard in Paris, Feb. 9, 2018. Gerard Julien/AFP/Getty Images
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