Arrest in burglary, arson of reservist's home

RIVERHEAD (WABC) -- A convicted burglar on parole is accused of setting fire to the home of an Air National Guard reservist serving overseas.

Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota says Harry Fleischmann Jr. is accused of setting a fire in the East Patchogue home on Dec. 27.

Eric Carver, who owns the home, is currently on active duty in Africa.

According to the district attorney, Fleischmann ransacked the Carver's house in the Swan Lake development in East Patchogue and stole Trooper Carver's SUV, off-duty handgun, holster, some ammunition and a generator that Fleischmann found in a backyard shed."

"He also found gasoline in the shed and poured the gas on a stairway leading from the rear door of the house to the main floor, tossing a match into the doorway," Spota said.

The fire destroyed the rear door, melted the siding to the rear of the house and destroyed the living room and kitchen.

Officials said Fleischmann has also been linked to several commercial burglaries that occurred earlier this month and last year at gas stations in East Patchogue, Brookhaven, Islandia, and Rocky Point, and burglaries of a Medford car wash and a Bayport liquor store.

Spota say the 33-year-old's criminal record dates back to 1996.

As for Carver, his entire neighborhood has come to his rescue. Next door neighbor Patricia Sitler has been leading the fundraising efforts and says people have donated more than 22 thousand dollars to help Carver rebuild.

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