Vancouver man charged with setting fire to 3 Oregon vending machines

ROSEBURG, Ore. — A man faces arson charges after vending machines were set ablaze at two Oregon hotels and a laundry business.

Roseburg police say the fires happened early Tuesday and the suspect — 32-year-old Jason Deschenes of Vancouver — was arrested at a Wal-Mart store.

Police say the first fire was reported at 1:40 a.m. at T&D Coin Laundry in Riddle, Ore. Video showed a suspect igniting a Pepsi vending machine to steal coins inside.

Similar blazes later occurred at the Leisure Inn in Canyonville and a Holiday Inn in Roseburg, and authorities identified Deschenes as the suspect.

Lt. Patrick Moore said Deschenes confessed to setting the fires and then exchanging stolen coins at Wal-Mart for $26 in cash. Moore said the suspect’s shirt, gloves and backpack had burns.

A bottle of lighter fluid was found at the third arson.

Court records show Deschenes had been arrested Sunday, accused of stealing an AR-15 rifle from a truck in Myrtle Creek, Ore. He was given a conditional release.