A man upset over a bolt in his pizza is suspected of setting fires at a Connecticut pizzeria has gone missing and might be in hiding in New York City, authorities say.
Scott Basile, 23, of Wolcott, Connecticut, has been missing since early January, just a couple days after he was last in touch with police in over several reports of arson, attempted arson and criminal mischief at Fratelli’s Pizzeria in Waterbury.
Authorities say that the first fires were set at the pizzeria after Basile ordered a pizza before Christmas, then found a bolt in the pie when he got it. Waterbury Deputy Police Chief Fernando Sagnolo said that Basile went to the restaurant to complain about the bolt, which had likely fallen out of a dough machine.
"He came back to the restaurant and caused quite a stink," he said.
Afterward, the fires began -- at least six in all. Police eventually set up a dragnet for the perpetrator, and on Christmas Day, Basile was spotted with a 20-pound propane tank with a manipulated regulator and Molotov cocktails.
He didn't cause any damage that day; police say he ran off when he saw an officer at the pizzeria. He left behind his destructive cargo, and police say they identified him through DNA left on the items.
Basile disappeared on Jan. 2, and his mother told NBC Connecticut that she last saw him when he told her he was going to go to the bank and visit someone that day.
Police said Basile did go to a bank in Cheshire on Jan. 2, and then went to one in Norwich on Jan. 3, where he withdrew the rest of his money.
In the days that followed, it appears his car was in New York City. His vehicle was spotted more than 20 times and a ticket was issued on Jan. 5 in New York, police say.
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On Jan. 7, police found his car was crashed into a utility pole in Stamford.
Police later determined that Basile was not in the car at the time. He had abandoned it and the person who was behind the wheel was high, nodded off and crashed, police said.
Police say it appears he ditched his car to cover his tracks.
"I believe he did leave the car to not leave a trace. As a matter of fact, we received other information that his cell phone, that he purposely left at home the days leading up to this because he was paranoid that people were watching him," Wolcott Police Chief Edward Stephens said.
Basile allegedly tried to sell his phone, but no one would buy it and he also tried to get people to bring him to Brooklyn, police said.
"We don't know if he's still in Brooklyn, New York. He's had a month head start,' Stephens said.
Scott Basile is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs 220 pounds and has black hair and hazel eyes.
His family started a Facebook page to help find him,
Anyone with information on Basile’s whereabouts should contact Wolcott police at 203-879-1414.