A man is behind bars after setting a fire in a Lincoln business.
Lincoln Police say officers were called to the business near 13th and M around 9:30 Thursday morning for a report of a suspicious person. A 55 year old man told police that when he arrived at work, he found that things had been moved or broken in the hallway and a side office. Three gold medals, valued at $12, were missing from the office.
The man said that the lights were not working and an unknown man emerged from the hallway. The suspicious man then pushed past the victim and walked eastbound from the business. The victim believed the man had burglarized the business, so he followed him and took a picture.
The victim returned to the business to find smoke filling the hallway. He found boxes on fire in the basement and extinguished it with a fire extinguisher, but not before the building sustained heavy smoke damage. The initial damage estimate was over $4500. It was later discovered that the breakers had been flipped, rendering the building without power.
Officers located 34 year old Alan Dickie near 11th and E Street and he matched the person the victim took a photo of. Dickie smelled of gasoline and had the three stolen gold medals in his pocket. He was arrested for Burglary and First Degree Arson.