Man in custody after florist fire

A Horsham man, 36, faces arson and burglary charges over an incident that has devastated a long-term Horsham business.

The man faced Horsham Magistrate’s Court on Monday where he was remanded in custody for a committal mention in February next year.

Police charged the man with two counts of arson, burglary and theft and expect to lay subsidiary charges.

They alleged in court that the man broke into Horsham Florist in Roberts Avenue about 5.30am on Saturday and stole about $1500 in cash before setting fire to the premises, causing about $100,000 damage.

Detective Senior Constable Neale Roberts from Horsham Criminal Investigation Unit said investigations quickly revealed the identity of the suspect and police had arrested and charged him on Monday.

He said the suspect, caught on security footage walking across Roberts Avenue to Coles supermarket after the incident, had admitted to being drug-affected.

“The incident has devastated a long-standing Horsham family business, which all but operates as a service to the community,” he said.

“It’s horrific to think what the owners will have to do to attempt to get the business back to where it was – if it can happen at all.

“It shows how a criminal act can devastate a whole family. And in this case, with stock and flower orders for weddings and funerals all lost, the impact also goes through the whole community.”