use supermarket discount card, get charged with arson

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Just ask this guy if he's glad he used his supermarket card. A seasoned fire fighter buys some "fire starters" at the supermarket, the purchase gets logged against his name, and gets arrested for arson because his house was set on fire with similar a "fire starter". Of course, since he bought some at a large grocery store then he obviously had to have done it.

The "fire starters" used where typical ones used to start fires in a fire place or camp fire. Obviously, no one but this guy could have possibly done it.

Wait, I guess someone else did do it. Hoo-ray for supermarket cards. I should go get a couple, buy lots of stuff and hope I get charged for arson or murder or robbery or some other awesome crime.


http://www.komotv.com/stories/32785.htm

Firefighter Arrested For Attempted Arson

August 28, 2004

By Joe Furia

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE - He spent 25 years fighting fires.

Now, a veteran Lieutenant with the Tukwila Fire department is suspected of setting a fire outside his own house with his wife and children inside.

It's already been an extraordinarily difficult summer for the men and women of the Tukwila fire department.

First came the heartbreaking loss of fellow firefighter, Jack Stevens, who was killed while riding in a charity motorcycle event.

Now, Lieutenant Phil Lyons, a 25 year veteran, is arrested for investigation of attempted arson.

"Well, we were quite surprised, quite shocked by the arrest," Tukwila Chief Nick Olivas told KOMO 4 News.

We attempted to reach the Lieutenant or someone in his family at their Mountlake Terrace home to hear his side of the story, but no one was home.

It was at his house, where investigators believe Lyons set fire to a cardboard box under a window earlier this month.

Lyons put the small fire out with a garden hose after his wife saw it burning.

According to court documents, his wife and children were inside the house at the time of the fire.

Though there was no damage, police did find the charred remains of a napkin stuffed into the exposed framing of the house along with a small fire starter - a device used to start fires in fireplaces.

Lyons' arrest came after detectives learned a grocery store card in his name showed he had purchased several fire starters.

Also in those court documents, Lyons blamed the fire on an arsonist who started several fires in North Seattle.

Those who know him best insist getting arrested doesn't mean Phil Lyons is guilty.

"It's difficult for me to believe that any firefighter would get arrested and charged with arson," said Chief Nick Olivas, "because firefighters train their entire careers and dedicate their lives to protecting people, so I believe that Phil is innocent until proven guilty."

Lyons was booked into jail and appeared at a hearing at Everett District Court on Friday where his bail was set at $10,000.

http://heraldnet.com/stories/05/01/2...c_arson001.cfm

Published: Friday, January 28, 2005

Arson charges dropped against firefighter

By Jim Haley
Herald Writer

Attempted arson charges against a veteran Tukwila fire lieutenant were dismissed last week after another person claimed responsibility for trying to set fire to his house in Mountlake Terrace, the Snohomish County prosecutor's office said Thursday.

The charge had been filed against Philip Scott Lyons, 48, who is back on the job, Tukwila Fire Chief Nick Olivas said. He was on administrative leave and had been assigned other duties since he was charged.

"We're very happy about it," Olivas said. "We're definitely glad to get him back on shift."

The charge was dropped after "another person accepted responsibility for the fire," deputy prosecutor Jim Townsend said. He dismissed the case because someone else claimed responsibility, he said. He declined to identify the person who came forward, and would not say if it was a man or a woman.

"This person made statements to numerous people and statements officially" to Mountlake Terrace Police, Townsend said.

No decision has been made whether that person will be charged, Townsend said.

Lyons was charged in October following an investigation of a fire Aug. 10 on the side of his home. He reported the blaze about 11:30 p.m. after his wife spotted an unusual glow through a window, court documents said.

Lyons extinguished the fire with a garden hose. He told police he was working on his home computer when his wife alerted him.

A police dog was called in to track whoever was in the yard, and the dog went to the home's front door.

Investigators found the charred remains of a napkin and a fire starter stuffed into the framing of the house. Fire starters are commonly used to ignite fireplaces and campfires.

The fire starter still had a Safeway wrapper on it. Lyons told investigators he had never purchased one there, but store records showed that the family's Safeway Club Card had been used to purchase fire starters in July, documents said.

[hoosier]

I hadn't thought about my Kroger card being part of the Big Brother conspiracy.

Looking back, though, really what the hell does Kroger care about what I buy?

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Originally posted by hoosier
I hadn't thought about my Kroger card being part of the Big Brother conspiracy.

Looking back, though, really what the hell does Kroger care about what I buy?

If they develop a list of what you buy they can advertise directly to your needs. Say you pick up a case of beer on Friday evenings on your way home from work, along with some steaks and baked potatoes. Forget the baked potatoes and the cashier can remind you and send a bag-boy to get them for you.
Course most grocery stores don't care, so I dont know why they logged a list of what he bought.

[sageofages]

Originally posted by hoosier
I hadn't thought about my Kroger card being part of the Big Brother conspiracy.

Looking back, though, really what the hell does Kroger care about what I buy?

I remember reading about an individual involved in a lawsuit about an injury in a Kroger store. The store produced records that he bought a six pack of beer a day (if I remember correctly) and tried fight off the lawsuit on the grounds he was an alcoholic.

EEEKKK! I do remember thinking how big brother.

[XOMichelle]

Which is why you don't sign up... won't most of the stores give you a card without knowing your name? I never registered at Safeway.

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by XOMichelle
Which is why you don't sign up... won't most of the stores give you a card without knowing your name? I never registered at Safeway.

For Kroger and Albertson's (I think) they usually get your name/address, etc. to get a card.

I think if they just lowered their crazy-high prices, people wouldn't NEED cards to get stuff for a decent price