Burger King burglar’s torch sets fire during East Meadow break-in, cops say

A burglar might have taken Burger King’s flame-broiled theme a little too literally Tuesday.

Police said an unknown suspect used a torch to break into a closed store in East Meadow, causing a fire that set off store alarms.

The burglary occurred at the Burger King at 2450 Hempstead Tpke. at 6:07 a.m. Tuesday, Nassau County police said. After getting into the store, police said, the suspect attempted to gain entry to the store safe, again by using a torch.

Police said that the alarms caused the suspect to flee.

There was nothing stolen from the restaurant, police said.

Police said that after the suspect, using a torch, set off the alarms, volunteers from the East Meadow Fire Department responded to the scene. It was not immediately clear if there was any damage to the store.

Police ask anyone with information about the burglary to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”