By Craig Anderson

DOVER — A fingerprint lifted from cellphone packaging helped identify a man who allegedly started a major fire inside a Target department store July 10, according to Dover police.

In an affidavit of probable cause, an officer detailed that and other allegations against Desmond M. Smith, 25, who is charged with first-degree arson and 21 other offenses connected to the incident.

The blaze caused approximately $2.5 million to $4 million to the store’s interior and exterior.

Through surveillance video review, police say, Mr. Smith was seen picking up cell phone chargers in the store at approximately 8:37 p.m. A latent fingerprint was used to identify him through the State Bureau of Investigation, police stated.

In the affidavit, the officer said a suspect, who police identified as Mr. Smith, allegedly arrived at the business at 148 John Hunn Brown Road riding a bicycle. He was wearing a partial face covering on the lower portion of his face.

The suspect then entered the store at approximately 8:30 p.m. pushing a shopping cart. Police said Mr. Smith traveled throughout the store, placing items within the cart.

Police said Mr. Smith disappeared from the camera’s view after entering the store’s bedding section at approximately 9:03 p.m. He was then allegedly “seen leaving that section with a smoke condition becoming visible approximately one minute later,” police said in the affidavit.

There was no other person seen on video surveillance entering the bedding section during the time, police claim.

As customers exited the store at around 9:05 p.m., Mr. Smith was allegedly seen exiting the southeast corner of the fire door exit, pushing the shopping cart full of merchandise. According to authorities, he then traveled north on John Hunn Brown Road toward East Loockerman Street.

While not all of he merchandise allegedly taken from the store without payment was identified, police say that two boxes of “Luvs Pull-Ups” were seen at the bottom of the cart. The boxes were valued at $26 each.

Police said in the affidavit that it was unknown how many customers were within the business when the fire originated. It was determined that 18 employees were present.

The store’s water sprinkler system engaged during the blaze.

According to police, surveillance video from a location redacted in documents was located and reviewed on July 14. Mr. Smith was allegedly seen arriving in a vehicle occupied by unknown persons.

Police say that Mr. Smith was seen exiting the vehicle and later seen carrying what is believed to be the stolen merchandise from Target, which includes a box of “Luv(s) Pull-Ups.”

After arrest and search warrants were obtained, Mr. Smith was taken into custody without incident Monday at his home in the 900 block of Whatcoat Drive. Dover police and the city fire marshals office made the apprehension, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals First State Fugitive Task Force.

Besides the arson charge, Mr. Smith is also facing 18 counts of first-degree reckless endangering, and single counts of shoplifting under $1,500, and wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony.

Mr. Smith was later committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown on a $137,000 cash bond after being arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 7.

On Tuesday, Target spokesman Brian Harper-Tibaldo said the company is aware of the arrest and cooperating with Dover police on the investigation. There is no firm reopening date for the store, he said.

The store, which opened in March 2001, has  about 150 employees. Mr. Harper-Tibaldo said shortly after the fire that some would be offered opportunities to work at two New Castle County locations.

Dover’s Target store was chosen to be one of the retail chain’s 300 locations to undergo a full renovation in September 2018. Six years prior, a 10,000-square-foot grocery section was added.

In addition to the Dover Fire Department, firefighters from Little Creek, Cheswold, South Bowers, Leipsic, Dover Air Force Base, Hartly and Camden-Wyoming also responded to the fire.

St. Francis Emergency Medical Services and Kent County paramedics also came to the scene. Citizens’ Hose Co. of Smyrna covered for the Dover agency during the incident, along with the Bowers and Hartly fire companies.