John Jones arrested in arson of historic Brooklyn church

The feds on Wednesday arrested a suspect in the arson of a historic Brooklyn church.

A historic church built around 1860 on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, was engulfed in flames on June 19 – also known as ‘Juneteenth.’

The community was devastated after the landmark South Bushwick Church was destroyed by a three-alarm fire.

The steeple collapsed as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

24-year-old John Jones was taken into custody as he tried to steal a sandwich and donuts from a store on Broadway, according to The New York Post.

Jones was caught on video on the side of the church using a lighter to ignite the blaze.

According to The Post, Jones was arrested in late June on criminal mischief charges for smashing a tv at a restaurant and causing $900 in damages.

The New York Post reported:

A firebug suspected of torching a landmarked 173-year-old Brooklyn church was busted when an eagle-eyed cop spotted him shoplifting a turkey sandwich and donuts from a Midtown CVS, sources said.

John Jones, 24, was hit with a federal arson rap after he was picked up trying to swipe a free meal with a Coke to wash it down in the store on Broadway at about 1:39 a.m., sources said.

An off-duty NYPD cop working security took Jones into custody and ran his name through the system — finding that he was wanted on a warrant for torching the South Bushwick Reformed Church, according to sources.

The NYPD, FDNY, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York had all been eyeing Jones as the alleged arsonist behind a three-alarm fire that torched the historical house of worship on June 19, according to a joint press release.

“The intentional burning of a house of worship is an attack on a historic building and on the sense of safety and community it represents,” fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said in a statement.

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