THE BIG PAYBACK! A FIRED DOMINO'S EMPLOYEE TORCHES 2 STORES IN THE BRONX!

A disgruntled employee canned from a Domino's Pizza shop in the Bronx helped himself to a slice of payback, torching two of the chain's storefronts, authorities said Monday.
"Revenge was the motive," a Fire Department source said. "Clearly, he's not a guy who cares a lot about life."

Domino's estimated the damages and lost business at the two locations totaled more than $1 million.

Jamal Thomas, 24, of the Bronx, was hit with a raft of charges.

He was training to become assistant manager after two years of working for Domino's when he was fired this summer , fire officials said.

Thomas held on to his key and uniform, and used both to exact his revenge.

He visited several stores in uniform, claiming to be part of a secret Domino's team measuring employee satisfaction. He was really scoping out targets to torch, investigators believe.

The branch he worked at, on Boston Road, burned on Aug. 22 around 6:30 a.m. It took 60 firefighters to put the fire out.

A second Domino's, on White Plains Road, caught fire around 4:42 a.m. on Sept. 5. The apartment above the store was occupied. Nobody was injured in either fire.

Both blazes were started with pizza boxes inside the stores, fire officials said. No accelerant was used.

Investigators have security video footage they say shows Thomas opening the gate of the White Plains Road Domino's with a key and leaving a short time later.

A fire marshal arrested Thomas on Friday on Nereid Ave. in his Nissan Altima.

Thomas had a .357-caliber stainless steel revolver in his glove compartment with five rounds inside. Five additional rounds were found in his car. He also had a switchblade in his pocket.

The gun is licensed in Westchester but not in New York City.

Thomas has been charged with multiple counts of arson, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon, plus other charges. He was arraigned and released without bail Saturday.

Thomas turned bitter against Domino's after hoodlums attacked him outside the store, his family claims. He was fired for leaving the store unlocked during the fight as co-workers counted money inside.

His jaw was broken in the brawl, leaving him unable to eat or talk for six weeks, according to family members.

"Domino's is a terrible place to work," Thomas seethed, according to court papers. "They didn't treat me right. They are terrible to the workers. I was punched at work and nobody helped me."

"My son is a good son," said Thomas' mother, Jocelyn Thomas. "He's never been in any type of trouble. "