A 60-year-old Scranton man — previously evicted from a property — made threats to burn the house down if he wasn’t able to collect his belongings, police said.
Officers responded to 352 E. Elm St. on Thursday around 4:54 p.m. after a woman told county dispatchers that Michael Pisarski was threatening to break into the garage and burn the house down, according to a criminal complaint.
Tina Griffin, who owns the home, told police Pisarski was evicted more than a month ago but left items in the garage.
Griffin had changed the locks to the garage a few days earlier when Pisarski returned Thursday and offered her money as back pay on his rent, police said.
When she refused, Pisarski became upset and started screaming that he was going to break the lock off the door, according to the criminal complaint.
He then said he was going to burn the house down if he didn’t get his items back, police said.
Griffin showed officers a garage on Hartman Place where Pisarski sometimes hangs out, and he was standing in the doorway, according to the criminal complaint.
Pisarski claimed he was paying rent and was never evicted, police said. Officers said he also denied threatening to set the house on fire.
Police charged Pisarski, 629 S. Webster Ave., with terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another.
As of Monday, Pisarski remained in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 28 at 11 a.m.