Posted by Eric Weslander July 10, 2006 at 2:19 p.m.

Campus arsonist pleads

Today's crime and courts briefing: ¢ Arsonist pleads: A former Kansas University student has been convicted of setting fire to Watson Library in March 2004, part of a month-long arson spree in Lawrence and Johnson County. David R. Jay pleaded no contest this morning to one count of aggravated arson and two counts of arson for the fires at Watson Library, a local dentist's office and a plant nursery, according to Dist. Atty. Charles Branson's office.Jay already is serving a six-year sentence for setting more than a dozen fires the same month in Johnson County.After his arrest, he was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome -- essentially high-functioning autism -- attention-deficit disorder, mild cognitive delay and a form of psychosis. He will be sentenced in Douglas County on Aug. 10. ¢ Foot chase through home: A teenager suspected of auto burglary fled from police early Sunday morning by running through a home in the 2500 block of Crestline Circle. Officers responded to the block about 2:10 a.m. after getting a report of an auto burglary in progress. The 17-year-old boy ran from officers, then went through the back door and out the front door of an occupied home, Lawrence Police Sgt. Dan Ward said. Officers didn't chase him through the home but caught him a short distance away, Ward said. He was arrested and taken to the juvenile-detention center. ¢Bus stop vandalism: Between June 24 and Friday, three glass panels at Lawrence Transit System bus stops have been damaged, causing more than $1,000 total damage.Other crimes:¢ Someone broke three windows Sunday at Sears, 2727 Iowa, causing about $1,300 in damage. ¢ An employee is suspected of embezzling more than $3,700 from Dillons, 1740 Mass., between June 1 and June 27, according to a report.¢ A $1,300 John Deere riding mower belonging to a 46-year-old Lawrence woman disappeared between 9:30 p.m. Friday and 6:30 a.m. Saturday from the 500 block of Country Club Terrace.¢ A 26-year-old Lawrence woman reported her $4,000 Buick Century stolen at 3 a.m. Sunday in the 1500 block of West 25th Court. ¢ A 26-year-old Lawrence man had his $1,100 air compressor stolen sometime Sunday morning from the 400 block of Indiana Street.¢ A 1995 Buick Regal valued at $3,500 was stolen between 7:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. Friday from the 2900 block of Lawrence Avenue.¢ A 21-year-old Douglas County man told the sheriff's office that between March and June, someone he knows used his name to set up telephone and charge accounts. ¢ A Lawrence woman's silver GMC Sonoma valued at $16,000 disappeared between 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Friday from her home in the 900 block of Deer Run Court.- Contributed by [Eric Weslander.][1] [1]: http://www2.ljworld.com/staff/eric_weslander