WYTHEVILLE, Va. – A man is behind bars after starting a fire inside a Sheetz in Wytheville early Tuesday morning.
At about 3:30 a.m., Wytheville Police were dispatched to a Sheetz located at 1340 N. 4th Street in Wytheville for reports of arson.
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Police said a man’s credit card was declined at the convenience store. Shortly after, he exited the store and came back inside with a gas can. The man poured gas onto the floor and lit it on fire before exiting the store again and driving away in a burgundy sedan.
The store manager was able to extinguish the fire.
While authorities began to search for the suspect, they received a report that the Kangaroo Express located at 125 Holston Road was broken into and merchandise was stolen.
Shortly afterward, a Wytheville officer located the suspect’s vehicle parked and unoccupied at the Northwind apartments.
Authorities were able to find him armed with a hammer under a tractor-trailer near Lowe’s.
After a short standoff, Wytheville Police used a taser on him before taking him into custody.
The man was identified as Kyle Wayne Mabe, 40, currently of Wytheville and previously from Michigan.
He was arrested on the following charges:
- felony arson
- felony burglary
- felony destruction of property
- two counts of misdemeanor larceny
Mabe is currently being held at New River Valley Regional Jail without bond.