A New Jersey man is now facing serious criminal charges after allegedly setting a Walmart on fire — not out of rage, but as a calculated move to walk away with thousands in stolen jewelry.
Anthony J. Rhodes, 36, was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree arson and manufacturing an explosive device, among other offenses, according to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal.
What happened that night
On the evening of April 29, firefighters rushed to the Walmart Supercenter on East Pulaski Highway in Elkton, Maryland — a small town about 50 miles northeast of Baltimore. A shopping cart near the children’s clothing section was engulfed in flames.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows a masked man entering the store with a backpack. He then placed a can of camping fuel and several boxes of fireworks inside the cart and lit it on fire. As the fireworks discharged and chaos broke out, shoppers and staff rushed toward the exits.
That’s when Rhodes allegedly made his move — walking directly to the jewelry counter and stealing multiple pieces, authorities said. He then fled the store on a motorcycle.
The damage was massive
- Jewelry stolen $10,000
- Direct fire damage $5,000
- Total losses (Walmart) ~$10M
Firefighters put out the blaze within minutes, but the aftermath told a different story. Smoke, soot, and remediation costs pushed Walmart’s total losses to nearly $10 million.
A t-shirt cracked the case
Despite the mask, investigators found a key detail in the footage — the man was wearing a Jefferson University baseball t-shirt. That single clue helped authorities identify Rhodes as the suspect. Ironically, he has no known connection to Jefferson University or its baseball program.
Rhodes was arrested in Berlin Township, New Jersey, and is currently held at Camden County Correctional Facility while awaiting extradition to Maryland.
What investigators said
“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
