A 63-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly broke into a Silver Springs residence and started a fire in the living room.
On Wednesday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal responded to a residence located on E Fort King Street in Silver Springs in reference to a fire. When the corporal arrived on scene, smoke was observed coming out of one of the home’s windows, according to the arrest report.
The corporal noted in the report that a small pipe and book appeared to be on fire in the center of the living room. A window next to the front door was also broken, and the corporal reached through the opening to unlock the door.
After entering the home, the corporal located a man, later identified as Thomas Richard Huppe, sleeping in one of the rooms. The home was filling with smoke, and the corporal escorted Huppe outside after waking him up.
Marion County Fire Rescue units arrived on scene and extinguished the flames. The report stated that the fire caused at least $1,000 worth of damage inside the home.
Huppe admitted to the corporal that he started the fire in the home to “keep the rats away from him.” He also claimed that he was “allowed to be there because his friend owns the (property),” according to the report.
The corporal contacted the homeowner/victim who was out of town. According to the victim, the residence had been “locked up” when they were last there, and “no one was allowed to be in (the home).”
Huppe was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is being charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and criminal mischief over $1,000.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.