A man has been charged following extensive investigations into an alleged suspicious building fire and assault of an employee at a business in Fortitude Valley last year.
Around 3.30am, on December 26, 2024, it will be alleged a 34-year old man entered the Wickham Street tobacconist, with identity concealed and spoke with the owner, a 42-year-old man.
The 34-year-old man has then placed a suspicious item within the store and when confronted by the owner, threatened him with what appeared to be a weapon before a physical altercation occurred resulting in the owner being assaulted and fleeing to safety.
The man then removed an item from a stolen Volkswagen parked outside the store before throwing it into the premises, resulting in a fire causing extensive damage to the business.
It will further be alleged the stolen Volkswagen Caddy was located abandoned and burnt out shortly after 4am in Veivers Road, Wolfddene.
Detectives from Fortitude Valley Criminal Investigation Branch with the assistance of detectives from Taskforce Masher launched Operation Whiskey Whipper to look into the circumstance supporting the blaze and assault.
As a result, investigators and specialist police executed a search warrant on an Ormeau address around 1.30pm yesterday, January 16, where they arrested the 34-year-old.
He has been charged with two counts of arson, one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing, entering premises with intent to commit indictable offence, assaults occasioning bodily harm, receiving tainted property, possessing suspected stolen property, possess explosives (ammunition) and contravening order about device information.
The man had his bail denied and is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court, this morning, January 17.
Drug and Serious Crime Group Detective Superintendent David Briese said this was an excellent outcome for not just the owners of the store affected, including the man who was assaulted, but also of the community of Fortitude Valley and the greater Brisbane area.
“The Queensland Police Service and in particular Taskforce Masher are committed to the safety of the community and the targeting and prosecution of those involved in organised crime who are responsible for serious crime connected to the illicit tobacco trade. We will continue investigate those who are responsible and work behind the scenes in supporting these offences,” Detective Superintendent David Briese.
Taskforce Masher was established to target organised crime syndicates involved in the coordination of offences of violence and property damage across Queensland, with the aim to disrupt and suppress this offending and identify the members of those organised crime syndicates.
The joint initiative involves the Crime and Intelligence Command working side by side with police regions across the state to investigate, disrupt and prevent these offences.
