Police have arrested a woman for allegedly setting fire to a Target store in Southern California in what they said was an attempt to cover up the theft of baby formula.
The evening fire at the Target in Buena Park on September 5 resulted in extensive damage to the Orange County store, including the children’s clothing section. Employees were evacuated, though no injuries were reported.
Buena Park Police identified the suspect as Cynthia Torres, 40, saying an investigation determined the suspect had intentionally set the fire in an attempt to cause a distraction that would allow her to steal baby formula.
Police said the fire caused around $500,000 worth of structural damage and around $1 million in retail loss, mostly due to water damage and smoke.
So remember that suspicious fire inside the Buena Park @Target on September 5th? @BuenaParkPD says it was intentionally set by 40 yr old Cynthia Torres "during an attempt to steal baby formula." BPD arrested her today. Her photo is at end of video @KTLA pic.twitter.com/d9ZXJB5kvz
— Chip Yost (@ChipYost) September 13, 2023
Torres was identified and arrested Tuesday. “The Investigation is ongoing and further details will be released at a later date,” Buena Park police said in its release.
Under the Biden administration, Americans have faced unprecedented shortages of baby formula, sending families scrambling desperately for food for their newborns.
In addition, prices for baby formula and baby food in general have spiked sharply, compounding the problem for families already hammered by Bidenflation. Prices of baby food and formula jumped by the most on record to an all-time high in April, according to a Bloomberg report.
In May, the Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into the shortages of baby formula across the country. As Breitbart News reported, House Republicans are also investigating the catastrophic shortages.
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