41-year old, Leroy Rabb Jr. of Fulton Avenue in Jersey City was arrested by Bayonne Police on Sunday morning in the Walmart parking lot. According to Police Captain Eric Amato, police responded to the store on a report of a fire inside of the building.
As officers arrived, employees and adult and juvenile shoppers were evacuating the store. Officers were directed to two aisles of the store where piles of clothing were on the floor and burnt, having originally been set ablaze by an individual, but safely extinguished by employees.
Police began to review security footage. They were able to observe a male actor, later identified as Rabb Jr., intentionally setting the clothing on fire before making his way to the electronics section. Once at the electronics section, he was observed removing, what appeared to be, a television, and heading for the exit doors, passing the register area without paying.
Captain Amato says a description of Rabb Jr. was broadcast to all units and police quickly located him standing behind a parked vehicle in the parking lot. He was positively identified and arrested. Rabb Jr. was found to be wanted on two outstanding warrants; one out of Jersey City and one out the Hudson County Superior Court.
Captain Amato says that at the time of the arson, there were approximately 550 customers (50 of whom were infants and toddlers) and 100 employees present in the store. No injuries or extensive damages were reported as a result of the incident.
Rabb Jr. has been charged with shoplifting, aggravated arson, risking/causing widespread injury or damage, endangering the welfare of children and contempt (2 warrants.)
