Schwerin/Grabow (dpa/mv) - After the damage to the 300-year-old town hall in Grabow (Ludwigslust-Parchim district) by a pyrotechnic explosive device on New Year's Eve, the police have now arrested a suspect. It was a 38-year-old man from Grabow, and an arrest warrant had been applied for at the district court in Ludwigslust, the Schwerin public prosecutor said on Friday. The accused had admitted the act and was to be brought before the magistrate on the same day.

According to the information, the man allegedly dropped an explosive device the size of a car battery on the steps of the town hall - made by a second suspect. The explosion damaged 22 window sashes in the town hall, an outdoor lamp and a concrete base in front of the front door. The damage is estimated at 30,000 euros. According to the public prosecutor's office, the quick success of the search is based on the intensive investigative work of the Schwerin criminal police department and tips from the population.