PD: Scottsdale business owner arrested for arson

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (FOX 10) - Clean up continues at a Scottsdale shopping center after it was vandalized and set on fire by one of its own tenants.

The owner of High Desert Rugs and Furnishings is accused of setting fire to his own business and vandalizing others.

"Pretty shocked, you wouldn't think it, for a nice person it's different," said Tristen Haasch, a server at Raven Gastropub.

Around 4:30 Sunday morning, the Scottsdale Fire Department responded to a fire at High Desert Rugs and Home Furnishings near Pinnacle Peak and Pima Roads.

Once the fire was put out, police found that multiple businesses and vehicles in the shopping center had been defaced with spray paint.

According to police, all of this damage was caused by High Desert Rugs and Home Furnishings owner, 75-year-old James Waller.

A server at Raven Gastropub, Tristen Haasch, thought the damage might have been caused by teenagers. He says Waller, who was always friendly, didn't cross his mind.

"He came in a couple of times to get to go food, short, sweet, simple and that was it. There was nothing to it, it's weird," said Haasch.

Crews are continuing to clean up the damaged businesses.

Vicki, who works in a salon nearby, says the security team on the property helped spot the fire. She says their quick response kept this fire from being worse than what it was.

"They saw it and they knew it was happening and so they came in so I'm pretty proud of them, good security, it shows you need it," said Vicki.

Waller was booked and released pending federal charges from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.