Newtown Liquor Store Owner Staged Armed Robbery, Set His Store on Fire: Police

NEWTOWN, CT — In a bizarre twist of events, the owner of the Rooster Wine and Liquor Store on South Main Street in Newtown was charged with staging an armed robbery and a fire at his own establishment, police said.

Scott Young, 39, of Southington faces multiple charges including arson, insurance fraud and criminal mischief after he was arrested on an outstanding warrant following a lengthy investigation. At the time of the incident on Jan. 21, Young told police that two suspects had robbed the store, set it on fire and painted swastikas on the rear door of the building.

Lt. Aaron Bahamonde told Patch that numerous pieces of evidence including the spray painting led officers to believe the incident was staged.

"Certain evidence with the spray painting indicated that this might be a staged scene," said Bahamonde. "Much more evidence forensic and physical evidence led us to believe he was the perpetrator in this crime."

Young's motives for the incident are still under investigation by police.

"The fact that Mr. Young used racial epithets and symbolism to cover up a crime was extremely disturbing to not only the community, but all the agencies involved," said Police Chief James Viadero in a statement."Such an incident unnerves the community and we are thankful we could bring the incident to a successful resolution and put everyone’s concern at ease."

Young told police that two suspects had entered the store, one of whom brandished a handgun. He told police that the suspects later started a fire in the rear of the building and sprayed two swastikas and a racial slur on the back door of the building.

Police said that investigators had been working endlessly to prepare an arrest warrant for Young. He was charged with arson in the first degree, insurance fraud, criminal mischief in the first degree, three counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree, providing a false statement in the second degree and interfering with an officer.

Young was held on a court-set bond of $100,000.

Image via Google Earth Screenshot