Dec. 5, 2024 6:15p
(WGTD)---A man who allegedly set a small fire in a south side Kenosha supermarket Wednesday evening said he'd been looking to get arrested because he had nowhere else to go.
32-year-old Jeremy Smith of Wausau is now facing a half-dozen charges, including attempted arson and endangering safety. In court Thursday, bond was set at $25,000.
According to the criminal complaint, Smith said he ran out of gas in Kenosha while driving from Chicago back to Wausau, and had no money. He told investigators that he walked into Festival Foods on 80th St. and hid a bottle of Rum in his sweatshirt, thinking the theft would be spotted and he'd be arrested. Instead, Smith said he walked out without paying and started drinking.
Smith apparently returned to the store and lit some paper plates and tissue on fire. The fire did not spread, and Smith was confronted by store employees and escorted to the parking lot, where he was arrested by police.
A fire department investigator said the blaze had the potential for causing significant damage.
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