Man Tries to Burn Down Missouri Gas Station over Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

A man allegedly attempted to burn down a Missouri gas station due to a confrontation with a gas station clerk who reprimanded him for stealing a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Police charged Joshua Lee Crook, 33, with felony first-degree arson and misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault, theft, and trespassing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Police say Crook went into a gas station around 5 p.m. to steal a bag of Cheetos. The gas station clerk then confronted him and told him to put the bag down if he was not going to purchase it.

He put the bag down, and walked out of the store. A minute later, Crook reportedly went back into the store to take the bag of Cheetos and was again confronted by the clerk.

This time, police say he punched the clerk in the face, ran out the store, and poured gasoline on the ground.

Authorities say he lit a cigarette and tried to start a fire with the spilled gasoline, but failed to do so.

The store suffered no damage.

Crook is in jail on $20,000 bail, the Post-Dispatch reported.