ST. LOUIS (AP) — A suspect has been arrested in a string of fires at seven St. Louis-area churches, most of them with black congregations. The blazes are being investigated as possible hate crimes.

St. Louis police spokeswoman Schron Jackson says a 35-year-old man was taken into custody Thursday.

As of midday Friday, the man has not been charged in St. Louis, where five of fires occurred, or in St. Louis County, the site of the other two.

The fires broke out from Oct. 8 to Oct. 22.

Five of the churches have predominantly black congregations. Jackson says the suspect is black.

A motive has not been disclosed.

In every case, a church door was ignited and in most cases the building was unoccupied. No one was hurt.