Kansas City Lumber Yard Arsons

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Suspicious fires destroyed three lumber
yards in the last week in the Kansas City area, and authorities
were trying to determine whether they are connected.
The latest blaze leveled the 123-year-old Schutte Lumber Co. in
Kansas City early Sunday, and investigators said arson is
suspected.
One day before that blaze erupted, firefighters confirmed arson
was the cause of two fires that did $2 million worth of damage on
the night of Oct. 6 and early Oct. 7 to lumber yards in Kearney and
Mosby that are owned by the same family.
Fire Department spokesman Germane Friends said the Kansas City
fire appeared to have started in at least two spots. "There is
speculation that this may be tied to the others," Friends said.
The Fire Department requested help from the U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the police
department's bomb and arson squad.
Schutte operations manager Matt Brown said employees were asked
to watch for anything suspicious after the two fires last week in
Kearney and Mosby.
"But there are so many ways to gain entrance to a place like
this because it's so open," Brown said.
Salesman Rick Tanner, who has worked at the Schutte yard for 26
years, stared Sunday at the charred lumber strewn throughout the
13-acre yard.
"I can't believe this," Tanner said. "This is so very
emotional for me because working here has been such a big part of
my life for so many years."

APTV 10-13-03 0919EDT

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KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) - Area lumber companies are adding
security measures after a spate of suspicious fires destroyed three
lumberyards within the last week.
The latest blaze leveled the Schutte Lumber Co. in midtown
Kansas City early Sunday, and investigators said arson is
suspected. Firefighters confirmed arson was the cause of two other
fires on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 at lumberyards in Kearney and Mosby,
about 25 miles north of Kansas City. Damage to those lumberyards,
which are owned by the same family, is estimated at $2 million.
"The latest fire really caught us off guard," said John Dowd,
manager of Beverly Lumber in north Kansas City. "Now we don't know
what to think."
Dowd said the company has consulted with police on how to secure
the lumber yard, but he declined to give specifics on the measures
the company has taken.
Albert Tamm Lumber Co., located east of downtown Kansas City,
has added overnight security and is taking some equipment and
materials to off-site locations as a precaution, employee Tom Perry
said.
"Basically, it's so all your eggs aren't in one basket," he
said.
Schutte operations manager Matt Brown said employees were asked
to watch for anything suspicious after the two fires last week in
Clay County.
"But there are so many ways to gain entrance to a place like
this because it's so open," Brown said.
"It makes you wonder if you're vulnerable," said Gary
Augustin, manager of United Building Center in south Kansas City.
"Fires haven't been a concern before."
Augustin said the company has a security fence with razor wire
around the property as a deterrent.
84 Lumber Co., also in south Kansas City, requires all people in
the lumber yard to be accompanied by an employee. Although that
security measure was in place before the fires, co-manager David
Lillis said the company is being more watchful.
"We're keeping an extra eye out for people who wander on the
yard," he said. "We are making sure that our yard is locked
down."
The Kansas City Fire Department has requested help on the
investigation from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives and the Police Department's bomb and arson squad.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Four suspects were jailed Sunday on
charges of setting a lumberyard fire that caused $5 million in
damage and added to fears that arsonists were targeting
construction suppliers in the Kansas City area.
Authorities were looking for two other people suspected in the
Oct. 12 fire at Schutte Lumber Co., a 13-acre business on Kansas
City's West Side, the county prosecutor's office said.
At a news conference Sunday, Jackson County Prosecutor Michael
Sanders said he had filed one count of second-degree arson Saturday
against Mary J. Linder, 18, of Kansas City; Jason M. Jenkins, 19,
of North Kansas City; and Rocky S. McLaury, 19, and David E.
Strobl, 24, both of Gladstone.
All four remained in the Kansas City Jail on $50,000 bonds
Sunday night.
The Schutte fire broke out several days after arson fires caused
about $2 million in damage to two family-owned lumberyards in
suburban Clay County. Some lumber suppliers increased security in
the wake of the fires.
"We don't believe that the fires are related, but that doesn't
mean it's been ruled out," Andrew Bouska, a spokesman for the
Jackson County prosecutor, said Sunday.
Authorities received a break in the Schutte fire when a tipster
called a hot line Friday and said Jenkins might have information in
the case.
According to a detective's probable cause statement, Jenkins
told police he helped five other people set the blaze. He said the
group piled into a compact car and drove to the area with several
containers of liquid that smelled like gasoline, according to the
probable cause statement.
Jenkins told police he and Linder were the lookouts while the
others approached the buildings with the containers of liquid,
which they poured on the stacks of lumber, according to the
probable cause statement. Jenkins said he saw a flash of light
after McLaury bent over the lumber with a lighter, the probable
cause statement said.
Later, Jenkins said, the group cleaned the carpet in the
hatchback area of Linder's car.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Four people charged with setting a fire
that destroyed most of a 13-acre lumberyard are scheduled to make
their first court appearance on Tuesday.
The Oct. 12 fire caused about $5 million in damage at the
123-year-old Schutte Lumber Co. It broke out about a week after
fires destroyed two other lumberyards in suburban Clay County owned
by a single family.
Jackson County authorities filed second-degree arson charges
Saturday against Mary J. Linder, 18, of Kansas City; Jason M.
Jenkins, 19, of North Kansas City; and Rocky S. McLaury, 19, and
David E. Strobl, 24, both of Gladstone. All four remained jailed
Monday on $50,000 bonds.
Police said two other people might also have been involved in
the Schutte blaze, but they had not been located as of Monday
afternoon.
John Liebnitz, a spokesman for the Jackson County prosecutor's
office, said a link between the three fires has not officially been
ruled out because the investigation into the Clay County fires is
ongoing.
"I think its natural to be curious when you have three major
lumber yard fires within a week," he said, "but we have no
evidence to support any connection between the fires."
Larry Scott, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, offered a similar assessment.
"We have not tied them together or anything," he said. "But
the investigation is just starting. It's not over."
Investigators received a break in the case Friday when an
anonymous tipster called a police hotline and said Jenkins might
have information about the fire. He agreed to talk to police that
day.
The timing of the three arson fires within days of each other
had raised fears that arsonists were targeting businesses that
supply construction materials. Some lumber suppliers increased
security in the wake of the fires.
According to a detective's probable cause statement, Jenkins
told police he helped five other people set the blaze. He said the
group piled into a compact car and drove to the area with several
containers of liquid that smelled like gasoline, according to the
probable cause statement.
Jenkins told police he and Linder were the lookouts while the
others approached the buildings with the containers of liquid,
which they poured on the stacks of lumber, according to the
probable cause statement. Jenkins said he saw a flash of light
after McLaury bent over the lumber with a lighter, the probable
cause statement said.
Later, Jenkins said, the group cleaned the carpet in the
hatchback area of Linder's car.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Four people charged in the $5 million
arson at a Kansas City lumberyard had bonds set at $50,000 Tuesday
after a judge entered innocent pleas for them.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday in Jackson
County Court for Mary J. Linder, 18, of Kansas City; Jason M.
Jenkins, 19, of North Kansas City; and Rocky S. McLaury, 19, and
David E. Strobl, 24, both of Gladstone.
Jenkins said he would get a private attorney. Public defenders
will be appointed for the other defendants.
The Oct. 12 fire caused about $5 million in damage at the
123-year-old Schutte Lumber Co. It broke out about a week after
fires caused $2 million damage to two other lumberyards in Clay
County. Investigators said they are still working to determine if
the arsons are related.
Jenkins was charged this month with one count of statutory
sodomy in the alleged sexual assault of an 11-month-old girl. He
was not arraigned on that charge Tuesday.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)