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‘He wasn’t happy about the price’ -- Video captures people setting Detroit business on fire

Owner believes suspects were unhappy customers

DETROIT – Surveillance video recorded at Frank’s Auto Center on Detroit’s east side showed an allegedly angry customer who tried to burn down Frank Hachem’s shop.

Hachem said they got into a disagreement Friday afternoon.

“We had a customer come in. He wasn’t happy about the price,” Hachem said. “We gave him a price up front, fixed his car. He comes picks up his car. He said that’s not the price we gave him. He said he already paid us but he didn’t pay us.”

Hachem said the customer allegedly came back Friday night to the auto shop, located near the intersection of Harper and Dickerson avenues, and did the unthinkable.

“Lit the place on fire. He had another person with him and that wasn’t cool at all,” Hachem said.

The video shows the two men get out of the car. One of them gets back inside, while the other one starts to pour what looks like gasoline on the ground. The other man inside the car, lights up what looks to be a piece of paper and then hands that to his partner.

“He lit it, threw it on the building and they went on,” said Hachem.

The flames started to grow. Hachem said luckily a customer was driving by, saw the fire and called 911. The fire did do some damage to the front of the shop, but it could have been worse.

Hachem said he has this message for the two.

“I want this guy off the street, because he can really hurt somebody out here,” Hachem said. “I’m glad that he did it to me because I’m going to be after this guy and I’m going to make sure this guy is locked up.”

More: Detroit crime news