New Jersey Man Arrested in Maryland Walmart Arson and $10,000 Jewelry Heist

7 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 16

Anthony J. Rhodes, 36, of Berlin, New Jersey, was arrested Thursday and jailed in Camden County pending extradition to Maryland on arson and explosive-device charges.
Investigators say Rhodes set a shopping cart loaded with camping fuel and fireworks on fire inside an Elkton Walmart on April 29, then used the chaos to smash a jewelry counter and steal nearly $10,000 in merchandise.
Firefighters contained direct fire damage to about $5,000, but Walmart said smoke, soot and cleanup drove lost inventory to roughly $10 million as customers and staff fled the store.
Security video and a Jefferson University Baseball T-shirt worn during the heist helped identify Rhodes, with the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, ATF and Walmart Global Investigations assisting the case.

How did a $10,000 jewelry theft result in $10 million of damages to a Maryland Walmart?

Was a jewelry heist the only motive for risking a 30-year arson sentence with such a destructive plan?

Why did the store's fire sprinkler system fail to activate during a deliberately set blaze in the clothing aisle?