Man arrested after south east crime spree

Man arrested after south east crime spree

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The bottle shop was set alight by an irate man on a crime spree on May 5. Photograph - Toby Hussey.

A 24-year-old man was arrested after a crime spree across Perth last Friday which ended with a Karragullen bottle shop burning down.

Police allege the incident began when the man stole a BMW station wagon during a home burglary in Kewdale at about 5.30pm on May 5.

The man was alleged to have driven to Rivervale and stolen items from a delivery driver parked on Surrey Road.

The man then drove to Karragullen by about 7.40pm and entered Bottlemart on Canning Road.

He returned to his vehicle with alcohol stolen from the shop before attempting to operate the petrol bowser.

After the store person denied his request the man re-entered the store and began threatening with a knife.

It was alleged he demanded the store person’s phone and car keys.

The victim managed to escape with a customer and locked the man inside the building while police were called.

At this time the man allegedly set fire to items within the shop.

Police and DFES attended and arrested the man while firefighters put out the blaze.

The man sustained smoke inhalation injuries and was taken to Armadale Kelmscott Hospital.

The officers who arrested the man also sustained smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene.

The building was destroyed in the fire.

The man was charged with one count of criminal damage by fire, two counts of armed robbery, three counts of stealing, one count of home burglary and one count of stealing a motor vehicle.

He will appear in Perth Magistrates Court at a later date.