Allen Park gas station owner says woman set fire to create diversion

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Why did a plastic knife display catch fire at an Allen Park gas station? The odd scene was indicative of something more sinister, the owner of the business claims.

Sam Nassar has run his Marathon gas station for 12 years. Operating at Southfield and Pinecrest, he says he's seen a lot. But what happened this weekend was something he'll never forget. He has trouble even explaining what happened.

"This is something unusual - it would never happen. Like I don’t know," said Nassar. 

It was a fire that caught his eye Saturday afternoon. Near the register, surveillance footage shows using a mop to put out a fire that had started at a plastic knife display. 

But a further review of that footage of what happened before the fire showed a woman using a lighter from a nearby display to deliberately set the fire. And then she put the lighter in her pocket. The actions were confusing enough, Nassar said. But he was also angry about the potential damage to a credit card console.

"This is next to the pin pad. Honestly, if this was damaged - you’re talking about a thousand dollars," he said.

After she sets the fire, the woman proceeds down one of the aisles and puts another item in her pocket, before setting it back. In no apparent rush, she then takes a drink from the fridge and picks up the item she originally put back, and places it in her pocket.

When she walks to the front of the store, she denies knowing anything about the fire after being asked. She then puts the drink down on the counter and walks out. 

"She was calm. She was very calm to the point where she wasn’t really worrying about any other people," Nassar said. "She didn’t even worry if someone is going to get hurt."

But a further review of that footage of what happened before the fire showed a woman using a lighter from a nearby display to deliberately set the fire.

The strange series of events was a diversion to distract the other employees, Nassar said. 

"Thank god I was here, at the scene, with my guy. We go around, check things out, we caught the fire in time," he said.

Detectives from the Allen Park Police Department would like to speak with the woman. If anyone recognizes her, they're asked to call law enforcement.