Burglar creates flaming diversion, swipes pharmacy's insulin

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One look at Laverne Miller's car parked in front of her Etowah home, and you can tell there has got to be a story behind it.

The driver's side is charred black, the tires melted, and rear view mirror is nowhere to be found.

"The fire was just blazing high when we came out," Miller said.

The 5 a.m. wake-up call to smoke and flames was started by a molotov cocktail shoved under Miller's sedan.

"The police officer asked if I had any enemies and I said, 'not that I know of." We've been here 12 years and never had any problems with anybody," Miller said.

But as it turns out, police believe her misery was just to get them to look the other way.

All the damage was just a diversion.

From Miller's home on the south side of Etowah, police believe the suspect headed to north side of town. Broke into the Fred's Department Store with a hammer and made his way to the back of the store.

"He broke broke through the small window here that leads into the pharmacy, and he went straight to what appears to be a locking cabinet," pharmacy manager Steve McCaslin said.

Etowah's two on-duty police officers were both at the car fire, so they had to call in back-up officers.

That bought the arsonist/burglar a few extra minutes.

"It's not uncommon in drug store crimes for these people to go to one side of town, cause a diversion and then go commit the crime," Police Chief Phil Robinette said.

But those extra moments may not have done the burglar much good.

"He thought he knew exactly what he wanted here. I'm sure he's disappointed," McCaslin said.

A locked cabinet that looks similar to one many pharmacies keep narcotics in was empty. So instead, the suspect took off with a tote bag mostly full of insulin.

"We have no idea why he took the insulin," Robinette said.

"There is definitely a health risk, shoot too much, and you're in a coma," McCaslin said. "I have no idea why. I have never heard of a black market for it."

While police continue their investigation and plan to get federal ATF agents involved Thursday, Laverne Miller is still without her car. But she's thankful that's all she'll have to live without.

"I'm just thankful we all got out of the house," Miller said.