Fire crews at Kent and Canterbury Hospital after a blaze in the chapel office

A man has been arrested after a spate of fires and thefts - including arson attacks on two Kent hospitals within 24 hours.

Kent Police said the 34-year-old was held this afternoon and is in custody at a police station in the county.

It comes after detectives released a CCTV image of a man they wanted to speak to after blazes at Kent and Canterbury Hospital yesterday and Medway Maritime Hospital on Wednesday.

Officers are also linking the blazes to fires at Crawley Hospital on Tuesday, the Hilton Hotel in Gatwick and Brighton Sealife Centre on Monday, as well as a hotel in Brighton on Sunday.

Detectives believe the fires were used as a distraction to steal money.

Money was taken from the restaurant at Kent and Canterbury Hospital during the evacuation and the fire at Medway was close to the canteen, but nothing was taken.

Cash was also taken from unattended tills at Crawley Hospital, in West Sussex, as well as from the other three buildings.

Det Sup Mick Judge, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, who is leading the investigation, said: "The fires have all been determined as deliberate but small and contained, and no one has been harmed."

"It would appear that the suspect is lighting fires in order to steal - that appears to be the common method throughout here.

"It would appear the method is to set small fires before a theft takes place. It is very unsual. It's an unusual method to set a fire and steal in this way."

An evacuation was carried out at Kent and Canterbury Hospital after a fire

It comes as Kent hospitals are on high alert today, with security stepped up across the county, after the arson attacks.

Police, fire and NHS chiefs have been meeting as CCTV footage was trawled this morning.

Hospitals and police forces across Britain have also been alerted about the blazes.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from Kent and Canterbury Hospital at about 2pm on Thursday when a fire started in the chapel office on the second floor.

Firefighters tackled the flames for 30 minutes before checking for hotspots with thermal imaging cameras.

Those evacuated from the Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, site were allowed back into the hospital at about 3pm.

Kent Police officers were called to probe the cause of the blaze with Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

They are also investigating the report of cash being stolen from the restaurant while the fire was being dealt with.

Fire broke out at Medway Maritime Hospital on Wednesday afternoon

Less than 24 hours earlier, Medway Maritime Hospital was evacuated amid a blaze.

Five crews went to the site, in Windmill Road, Gillingham, after a fire broke out in B wing at around 3.50pm on Wednesday.

Around 25 firefighters tackled the blaze and were stood down at 4.30pm.

Nothing is understood to have been stolen from Medway Maritime Hospital during the evacuation.

No one was injured in either of the Kent hospital fires.

Anyone who might be able to help is asked to phone 101 - asking for Kent Police - or Kent CrimeStoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.