Woman Arrested for Arson at Burbank Target Empire Center

Burbank Police arrested a 27-year-old San Fernando woman last week on suspicion of deliberately setting a fire inside the Target store at the Empire Center, a blaze that caused millions of dollars in damage and forced the retailer to close indefinitely for repairs.

Stephanie Irene Mendoza was taken into custody March 30 at a nearby hotel, one day after fire crews responded to the Empire Avenue store just before 11 p.m. She was booked on a felony arson charge under California Penal Code section 451(b). The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed one count of 451(c) PC on April 2, following a case presentation by Burbank investigators.

All customers and employees had evacuated the store by the time officers and Burbank Fire Department personnel arrived. No serious injuries were reported. Firefighters extinguished the flames, but the damage was extensive. Investigators documented loss of merchandise, smoke contamination throughout the store, and structural damage. Estimated losses currently run into the millions, and the Target location at 1800 Empire Ave. remains closed as repairs get underway.

Investigators determined the fire started in the bedding section and was set intentionally. Surveillance video, witness interviews, and a canvass of the scene produced no evidence of accidental ignition and placed no other individuals in that part of the store at the time. Detectives identified Mendoza as the suspect and located her the following day without incident.

The Empire Center Target is one of Burbank’s most heavily trafficked retail anchors. The shopping complex at Empire and Hollywood Way draws consistent foot traffic from residents in the Rancho, Verdugo Woodlands, and surrounding neighborhoods, as well as workers from the nearby studio corridor. A closure of this length at one of its anchor tenants will be felt by shoppers who rely on the location for everyday essentials.

Arson investigations at commercial properties are resource-intensive, and the turnaround here was fast. Burbank Police identified and arrested a suspect within 24 hours of the fire, a timeline that reflects both the density of surveillance infrastructure in a major retail complex and the investigative capacity of the department’s detectives. The DA’s office moved the case to charges within three days of the arrest.

Mendoza faces a felony count under Penal Code 451(c), which covers arson of an inhabited structure or property. A conviction under that section carries the potential for substantial prison time under California law.

The investigation remains open. Burbank Police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Investigations Division at (818) 238-3210.