
Police arrested a woman after she allegedly committed a small arson fire at a grocery store in Buffalo Grove while dozens of customers were inside shopping Wednesday evening.
The Buffalo Grove Police Department responded around 10:37 p.m. Wednesday to the Woodman’s Food Market, 1550 Deerfield Parkway in Buffalo Grove, for a report of a criminal damage to property.
A 911 caller reported a fire was located and extinguished in the men’s restroom, police officials said.
Prosecutors said a customer who came upon the fire extinguished it with a jug of water and reported the incident to an employee.
Officers arrived and confirmed the fire was already out but damage was found to a bathroom stall and surrounding area within the restroom.
Officers reviewed store security footage, which showed a subject, later identified as Kiara Davis, 29, of Norfolk, Virginia, entering the restroom just prior to the fire being reported, police officials said.
Prosecutors said the customer who reported the fire had entered the men’s restroom just minutes after Davis left the restroom.
The customer was seen in the video running out of the restroom and grabbing the jug of water before running back inside to extinguish the fire.
The grocery store, which is open 24 hours, had at least 40 customers inside the store at the time of the fire, prosecutors said.
Davis was located around 1 a.m. Thursday in the parking lot of the grocery store and arrested by officers.
She complained of a stomach ache and headache and requested an ambulance.
Davis was transported to a local hospital in police custody and later released back to officers.
Prosecutors said Davis is suspected of committing two other arson fires in Buffalo Grove. Those are still under investigation.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved one count of aggravated arson people present, a Class X felony, for the Woodman’s fire.
Davis appeared in First Appearance Court in Waukegan Thursday morning before Lake County Judge Raymond Collins.
The state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain Davis pending trial.
The judge remanded Davis to the Lake County Jail pending a detention hearing, which he scheduled for Monday afternoon.