Police suspect arson in McHenry restaurant fire

A fire at a popular McHenry restaurant may have been deliberately set to cover up a burglary, police said late Monday.

The early-morning blaze Monday at Joey T's on the Fox, in the 1200 block of North Riverside Drive, gutted the restaurant. No one was hurt.

Police believe the fire was deliberately set because items taken from the restaurant were found outside, Sgt. Daniel Kreassig said. Additionally, a police officer noticed a broken window that was not caused by the fire, Kreassig said.

Late Monday, police were searching for a man seeing fleeing the area near the restaurant. he was described as a young white man, perhaps about 18 years old. He was about 5 feet 9 inches tall and about 145 pounds.

The restaurant's owners were "devastated" by the blaze, Kreassig said.

Fire officials, along with McHenry Police and the Illinois State Fire Marshal's office are investigating.

Crews from several neighboring departments, including Fox Lake, Wauconda and Crystal Lake, were called in to help put out the fire.

Anyone with information about the fire or the man seen fleeing the area can call McHenry police at (815) 363-2200.