A New Jersey resident found himself in handcuffs on Thursday, accused of orchestrating a fiery distraction to execute a daring jewelry theft at a Maryland Walmart. The blaze, reportedly ignited with camping fuel and fireworks, created chaos, enabling the thief to escape with $10,000 worth of jewelry.
Anthony J. Rhodes, a 36-year-old from Berlin, New Jersey, was apprehended without resistance by local law enforcement. He is currently held in a Camden County jail as authorities prepare to extradite him to Maryland, where he faces serious charges, including first-degree arson and creating an explosive device.
The tumultuous incident transpired on the evening of April 29 at a Walmart located in Elkton, as detailed by the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Surveillance footage captured the dramatic sequence of events, showing an individual, masked and carrying a backpack, entering the store.
According to officials, the suspect proceeded to fill a shopping cart with camping fuel and several boxes of fireworks. The cart was then strategically positioned near the children’s clothing section before being set on fire, triggering panic among shoppers and staff alike.
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.
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.
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.”
A Walmart spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company “appreciate[s] the partnership with law enforcement and their swift action in this investigation.”
