PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. -- Elizabeth Patterson didn't know what to think when her three-year-old son woke her up, telling her he saw flashing lights in his bedroom.
Patterson looked out the window and found the reason. Police cars on the street out front but that's not all "Lots of smoke" she says from the front porch of her Branchester Lakes home.
Others say it was a knock on the door by police or a phone call from a neighbor that woke them up, letting them know their trash cans were on fire.
Around 4:30 Monday morning, Police received three calls of burning trash cans and that's exactly what they found when they patrolled the neighborhood.
The owner of one of the targeted trash cans says her husband had just been released from the hospital and they family didn't need this added stress.
Police say the person responsible is looking at three misdemeanor charges if convicted.
