Marine Tied, Set Afire by Burglar in Motel Room
A 23-year-old Marine lance corporal was bound, gagged and set on fire by a burglar who broke into his Hollywood motel room this morning, police reported.
The Marine, whose name was not released pending notification of kin, suffered second-degree burns and was listed in stable condition at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, Los Angeles police said.
According to the victim’s account to police, the Marine was on leave and staying at the Sunset Lodge Motel at 6700 Sunset Blvd. He awoke shortly after dawn to find a man ransacking his room.
The suspect tied him up with cords cut from the room’s telephone and lamp, put a sock in his mouth and placed papers underneath him, saying, “If you don’t be still I’ll light you up like a Christmas tree,” a police spokesman said. After taking $180 in cash and a portable stereo, the suspect then set fire to the papers.
A smoke alarm brought the attention of motel management and other guests, who kicked down the door and pulled the victim from the flames. The victim is scheduled to be transferred to the County-USC Medical Center burn unit, police said. No suspect is in custody.
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