FBI offering reward for info in rash of arsons at Wal-Marts along the Gulf Coast

A $2500 reward is offered for info leading to the apprehension of the suspects.

On Thursday May 27, Cheryl Buxton was making a routine shopping trip to a Mobile, Alabama Wal-Mart near the Beltline.

"I heard a man’s voice yell ‘Hey’ and then I walked up to the next aisle thinking someone had fallen, needed help, was hurt and there was a fire, about like this, it wasn't very high," Buxton told NBC 15.

She then sounded the alarm, yelling “Fire!”. As she did so, she stepped back, noticing the flames were “all the way to the ceiling”.

Buxton was near the paint department at the rear of the store when the fire started. Luckily, it did not get to the paints or solvents in that area as the explosion would have been massive. No one was injured.

On Friday May 28 at 3:37 PM, a two-alarm fire occurred at the Wal-Mart at Tillmans Corner, about 12 minutes and eight miles away from the store at the Beltline.

The Tillmans Corner store on Rangeline Road suffered extensive smoke damage but again no one was hurt. The store is closed indefinitely.

Mobile Police have released photos of the three suspects they believe are connected to the arsons:

The 3 Suspects in a multi-state rash of arsons at Wal-Marts.Mobile, AL Police Department

Which is when this case officially became a federal matter. On June 4, two fires were intentionally set inside the Wal-Mart on U.S. 49 in Gulfport, Mississippi (about one hour west of Mobile).

Employees were able to extinguish the Gulfport Wal-Mart blazes and again no one was hurt. Descriptions of the suspects match those from Mobile.

Arson is also suspected in another Gulf Coast Wal-Mart location. This time at the store on C.T. Switzer Road in Biloxi, Mississippi – only about 27 minutes or 13 minutes from Gulf Port.

If you know anything about the fires, you are urged to report it. The FBI is offering a $2500 reward for information. The FBI can be reached at 601-948-5000 or 251-438-3674. Tips can also be reported to Biloxi police at 228-435-6112, Gulfport police at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.

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