REDDING, Calif. — A man with a lengthy criminal history in Shasta County has been arrested following a break-in and arson at the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Lake Boulevard.
Eric Leaf Mitchell, 45, was taken into custody on Sunday night, April 21, 2025, after reportedly breaking into the thrift store and setting the alarm panel on fire in an attempt to silence it. According to store officials, the burglary occurred just before 9 p.m., triggering both the alarm and fire systems.
Emergency crews responded swiftly, keeping the fire damage minimal. Despite that, Mitchell caused further destruction inside, including ripping a clock from the wall and tearing out telephone and register lines.
“He started to tear out our register lines and the telephone lines,” said Joshua Dulay, Chief Administrator for the Salvation Army’s Chico Rehabilitation Program. “Fortunately, the damage was limited and we reopened the store the next morning.”
Mitchell was already a wanted fugitive for removing a GPS tracking device and failing to register as a sex offender, stemming from a 2000 conviction for lewd acts with a child under 14. He also had an active case for disorderly conduct under the influence and had been released on his own recognizance just days earlier, on April 15, with a court date scheduled the morning of the incident.
While the store has seen break-ins before, Dulay described this one as “the most damaging yet.” The property owner is pressing charges, and Mitchell remains in custody pending further legal action.
