HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A woman who tried to set fire to multiple homes in the Hamptons over the weekend was arrested and released—only to be cuffed again hours later after she tried to rob a Dollar Tree at knifepoint, the Suffolk County D.A. said Tuesday as he slammed the "obvious flaws" in New York state bail laws.
Amanda Burnside, 41, attempted to torch three houses in Hampton Bays on Sunday evening, according to Southampton Town Police.
Police got a call at 6 p.m. from a resident of Oldfield Lane, who said someone was trying to burn down their house.
Officers responded to Oldfield Lane and Homewood Drive, where they arrested Burnside, who police said set fire to the bench and porch of the occupied home.
The homeowner was able to extinguish the fire, and no one was injured.
As detectives were investigating in the neighborhood, they received two similar calls from residents on West Tiana Road and Fairview Road. Both of them also reported someone trying to set fire to their homes.
Investigators linked all three incidents to Burnside, who was charged with one count of arson and two counts of attempted arson.
She was held Sunday night and arraigned before she was released without bail on Monday morning.
However, she was back in custody less than two hours later after police say she tried to rob a Dollar Tree store in Hampton Bays.
According to cops, she entered the store, pointed a knife at a cashier and demanded money from the register.
Police officers arrived within minutes and arrested her shortly after 11:30 a.m.
She was charged with attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon.
She was held in Suffolk County jail following her second arrest, police said.
In a statement, Suffolk D.A. Raymond Tierney said his office had requested that Burnside be held on a $1 million bond following her initial arrest for arson.
"The arraignment judge nevertheless released the defendant on her own recognizance and told her to report for supervised release within 72 hours," Tierney said in a statement. "Less than two hours after her release from detention, the defendant allegedly committed an armed robbery."
"Clearly, the dangerousness of this defendant, who allegedly tried to ignite three homes on fire, was not adequately considered, given that within two hours of her arraignment, she allegedly committed another serious, violent felony," Tierney continued.
The D.A. then decried New York's bail laws, saying, "the danger that this defendant posed to society could never be adequately considered insofar as dangerousness is not a bail factor that judges can consider under New York State law."
"My office will continue to seek that defendants that pose a threat to public safety, remain in custody, despite the obvious flaws to our law," he said.