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A New Jersey man was arrested Thursday after allegedly sparking a massive fire with camping fuel and fireworks inside a Maryland Walmart, creating a terrifying diversion to pull off a $10,000 jewelry heist.
Anthony J. Rhodes, 36, of Berlin, New Jersey, was taken into custody without incident by local police and is currently sitting in a Camden County jail awaiting extradition to Maryland. His charges include first-degree arson and manufacturing an explosive device.
The chaotic scene unfolded on the night of April 29 at a store in Elkton, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Security video showed a masked man entering the store with a backpack and loading a grocery cart with camping fuel and several boxes of fireworks, officials said. The suspect then parked the shopping cart next to the children’s clothing section and set it ablaze.
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As the fire grew and fireworks began exploding inside the store, customers and staff scrambled for the exits.
Authorities said the suspect then smashed into the store’s jewelry counter, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise before walking out and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.
While firefighters from the Singerly Fire Company quickly extinguished the flames and contained direct fire damage to around $5,000, Walmart said the smoke, soot and subsequent cleanup resulted in $10 million in lost inventory.
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Officials said Rhodes was wearing a Jefferson University Baseball T-shirt during the heist, which investigators used to track him down.
Rhodes did not have a connection to the university or its sports teams, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Walmart Global Investigations assisted with the investigation.
“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 after the arrest. “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.”
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A Walmart spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company “appreciate[s] the partnership with law enforcement and their swift action in this investigation.”
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