Man: Delaware church set on fire ‘out of vengeance’

GLASGOW, Del. – A man who has been accused of setting multiple fires inside a church in Delaware told investigators he did it “out of vengeance and anger,” according to court documents.

Thomas Loftis III made the comments to investigators after he was arrested Thursday in connection with the arson investigation at Reach Church, according to court documents obtained by The Delaware News Journal.

He was arrested three days after the fires were started inside the church’s sanctuary in Glasgow last Monday, authorities said.

Video surveillance shows Loftis breaking into the church before the blaze, court documents said. “Once inside he walked through the building throwing equipment and instruments around,” the Delaware News Journal quotes the court document as saying.

He then used a lighter to start the fires on the pews and window curtains, according to court documents. No one was injured during the blaze, but the fire caused approximately $250,000 in damage.

There were no additional details on the reason as to why Loftis might have sought vengeance against the church. He was arrested in his home hours after the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s office released images that showed a suspect in the investigation and a car they believed was used during the incident.

It was not immediately clear if Loftis had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.