Another Arson Charge For Man In Tinley Park Menards Fire: Tinley PD

TINLEY PARK, IL — A Wheaton man now faces charges by Tinley Park police, in relation to a fire set at a Menards store in Tinley Park in April.

Police say Nathan J. Grant, 32, of Wheaton, set fire to air conditioning unit filters in the store, 6851 W. 159th St., just after 4 p.m. on April 18. About two hours previously, Grant had started a similar fire at a Homer Glen Menards store, and was already under investigation by the Will County Sheriff's Department. No one was injured in either fire.

Tinley Park Police Department investigators worked with the Will County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office, the Wheaton Police Department, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and the Orland Park Police Department to use license plate reading systems, which helped in identifying Grant as the offender in both incidents.

Wheaton Police Department tactical officers located Grant on April 19 and took him into custody. Officials said Grant confessed to both incidents during a police interview, and the Will County Sheriff’s Department charged him with aggravated arson. Tinley Park police took Grant into custody on April 24 after he was released from the Will County Adult Detention Facility, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a felony charge of aggravated arson stemming from the incident in Tinley Park.

"This arrest and prosecution was due to diligent and skilled investigative work by the Tinley Park Police Department, in conjunction with investigators from the Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office, the Will County Sheriff’s Police, the Wheaton Police Department, DuPage County Sheriff’s Department, and the Orland Park Police Department," Tinley Park Interim Police Chief Tom Tilton said.