A man was arrested for starting a fire that caused damage to Key West's landmark buoy, and he has his poor tipping skills to thank for getting busted.
The incident happened at about 3:30 a.m. on New Year's Day. One man was seen lighting a nearby Christmas tree on fire while another acted as a lookout. The flames caused a burned scar on the buoy, which marks the southernmost point of the continental U.S., approximately 3 feet wide and 7 feet tall.
The suspect was spotted on surveillance footage, and was later identified by a local bartender who recognized him as the man who had stiffed him on a tip the night prior. Cameron Briody, a bartender at Irish Kevin's on Duval Street, said a 21-year-old man ordered three drinks on New Year's Eve but did not leave a tip. The impression the man left allowed staff to track him down once police released webcam video showing people burning a Christmas tree. The man was later identified by police as Skylar Jacobson, of Henrietta, Texas.
"I knew immediately that I had served him and that he had used a card, so his name would be on the slips," Briody told the Miami Herald.
The bar's manager reviewed the surveillance tapes and was able to match credit card receipts to time-stamped footage of the man and a 22-year-old friend. Both men have spoken to police and are awaiting charges. The damage to the buoy is estimated to be around $5,000.
