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AUSTIN, Texas - A fire at the Austin Club Monday morning caused about $150,000 worth of damage.
Police said the man responsible was caught breaking in on security cameras.
FOX 7 Austin security cameras also caught the chase that resulted in an arrest.
An alarm call around 4 in the morning brought Austin police to the side of the historic building.
“This building, it's irreplaceable,” said Austin Club General Manager Ken Richardson.
While waiting for backup, an officer saw a man they later identified as Matthew Caldwell peek out the alley door. Before police could question him, he took off.
“They caught him red handed,” Richardson said.
FOX 7 Austin’s security cameras show Caldwell running through the alley with an officer not far behind. When he gets to the end of the alley he throws a bag and then runs up 10th street to get away from the officer.
Caldwell turns the corner onto Brazos and eventually starts casually walking away. Seconds later, the officer catches up to him, draws a Taser and tells Caldwell to stop.
Then police arrested Caldwell.
“They physically caught him coming out of the building with the three bottles of wine and the can of beer,” said Richardson.
Caldwell told officers the stolen items were circumstantial evidence and he was only strolling down Brazos.
Once officers entered the Austin Club, they realized Caldwell didn't just take items, he also lit two fires.
“He said he was Taylor Swift, he said he told them to do it, so they had to do what he said, and that's how the fire started,” said Captain Andy Reardon, arson investigator with the Austin Fire Department.
“He could've just taken the three bottles of wine and the can of Heineken… and been gone, but he didn't. Why burn the building? That's the sad part,” Richardson said.
When Richardson pulled up to the building Monday morning, he saw seven firetrucks parked outside.
“My heart just stopped. I was sure we were going to lose it,” said Richardson.
The fires caused about $5,000 in damage, but a sprinkler that put out the flames and saved the structure caused damage totaling another $150,000.
Although some historic items inside the 140-year-old building were damaged, the club only closed for one day.
“We're back up and operating again. Structurally, it's sound, it's safe, and so we're just going to have to do some remodeling,” Richardson said.
Reardon said older buildings tend to be more sturdy because they were built with huge beams and steel. That is part of the reason the water damage wasn't worse.
Caldwell was charged with arson and booked into jail.