Philly Police Search for Man Who Might Just Be the World's Worst Arsonist

Philadelphia law enforcement officials are looking for a man who tried and failed five times in a row to set a city apartment on fire with a Molotov cocktail.

Police said the would-be arsonist was caught on camera at about 2:10 a.m. on Jan. 9 repeatedly hurling a Molotov cocktail against a window on the 2600 block of North Frankford Avenue in the city's Richmond neighborhood.

Here's the first throw. It's unsuccessful (image source: YouTube)

Second try (image source: YouTube)

But with each throw, the makeshift bomb harmlessly bounced off the building, leaving the man looking like a lousy arsonist with a weak arm.

“Each time, the burning flame goes out as the incendiary device falls back to the sidewalk and the failed firestarter scampers back and forth, nervous that his aggression might backfire,” the New York Daily News reported.

Authorities were amused with the surveillance footage.

“Hopefully someone from the neighborhood will recognize this guy and give us a call so we can get him off the street,” Philadelphia Police Lt. John Stanford told the Daily News.

Third time's the charm? Apparently not (image source: YouTube)

Fourth try (image source: YouTube)

Last throw -- unsuccessful (image source: YouTube)

The man eventually fled the scene after his last throw managed to break a window and wake up the locals.

The cocktail of course fell back to the street where police found its remains.

You can see the security footage here:

The term “Molotov Cocktail” comes from the Winter War, a military conflict between Russia and Finland that lasted from November 1939 to March 1940. The Finn army satirically named the makeshift bombs in honor of Vyacheslav Molotov, Soviet minister of foreign affairs and protégé to Joseph Stalin.

The Finns won.

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