GUNMA — Police in Shibukawa City have arrested a 39-year-old city hall employee on suspicion of preparing to commit arson after he poured kerosene inside his girlfriend’s home, reports TBS News (May 4).
Masahiro Ishida is accused of dumping approximately 9 liters of kerosene in the entryway of the two-story wooden house he shared with his 36-year-old girlfriend shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Sunday night.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of attempted arson, the suspect partially denied the allegations. “I poured the kerosene, but I had no intention of setting a fire,” Ishida told investigators.
According to police, the incident came to light when the woman’s daughter called emergency services to report that her mother and a man were in a heated dispute.
Officers who rushed to the scene discovered the heavily splashed flammable liquid and a dropped lighter in the foyer, leading to Ishida’s arrest on the spot.
Police are currently investigating the exact motive and the details of the quarrel that led up to the incident.
