N.H. Woman Blamed for Store Arsons

Feb. 12, 2010
FRANKLIN, N.H.

FRANKLIN, N.H. --

A Franklin woman who has a long history of arson is accused of setting more fires, which, according to her son, she denies.

Gretchen Wibel, 68, was charged with lighting a series of fires at retail locations around the state during the 1990s.

Now, she's charged with felony arson in connection with fires at two businesses crowded with people.

Investigators said they knew they had something suspicious when Franklin firefighters were called to a report of flames inside the women's bathroom at the local Hannaford's supermarket.

"What had burned in the Hannaford's grocery store was a baby-changing station. The fire was extinguished by a store clerk," Franklin Deputy Fire Chief Kevin LaChapelle said.

On Monday -- a month to the day later -- someone set fire to trash inside the women's bathroom at the McDonald's down the street from the supermarket, officials said. Police arrested Wibel the next day.

"Both of these cases were occupied buildings (at) high occupancy times of day," LaChapelle said. "Hannaford's grocery store in the afternoon, as you can imagine, is very busy, and the McDonald's restaurant for breakfast was almost at full capacity."

Franklin fire officials said they were not aware that Wibel was living in town, but they said they are relieved to have made this arrest.

Within the last decade, investigators said Wibel was charged in connection with multiple fire starts, including incidents at the J.C. Penney in Concord, an Ames in Dover and the Walmart in Somersworth.

News 9 contacted Wibel's family Wednesday night. Wibel's son told News 9 that he spoke with his mother Tuesday night, after she was arrested, and she told him she did not set these most recent fires.

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