ELKTON, MD - A New Jersey man finds himself in legal hot water after he set a tonefire inside a Maryland Walmart as a diversion to carry out a $10,000 jewelry theft, Fox News Digital reports.
Anthony J. Rhodes, 36, of Berlin, New Jersey, used camping fuel and fireworks inside a shopping cart and then set it ablaze adjacent to the children’s section of the store. The incident occurred on April 29. Rhodes was picked up by local police and is awaiting extradition to Maryland. He is charged with first-degree arson and manufacturing an explosive device in addition to a host of other charges.
Security video showed Rhodes, wearing a mask, entering the store with a backpack and loading the grocery cart, eventually setting it on fire.
As the fire expanded, fireworks began exploding inside the store, causing customers and staff to flee for the exits.
Rhodes then smashed the store’s jewelry counter and stole approximately $10,000 worth of merchandise before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.
Firefighters from the Singerly Fire Company quickly responded to the blaze and extinguished the flames. Direct fire damage was limited to only $5,000; however, smoke, soot, and the subsequent cleanup resulted in $10 million dollars in damages and lost inventory.
Rhodes, clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer, was wearing a Jefferson University Baseball t-shirt, which authorities used to track him down, police said. Rhodes does not have a connection to either the university or its sports teams, the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said.
The multi-agency investigation included the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Walmart Global Investigations.
“Working side-by-side with our ATF partners and Walmart Global Investigations, our team was able to identify a suspect quickly,” acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray wrote in a statement following the arrests. “Investigations such as these require an all-hands approach, and I am proud of everyone who was able to bring this case to a close.”
A Walmart spokesman speaking to Fox News Digital told the outlet that the company “appreciate[s] the partnership with law enforcement and their swift action in this investigation.”
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