Ex-motocross enthusiast and Coast identity Grant Bink goes to ground as police probe factory fire

A Gold Coast business has burnt down as frustrated customers emerge. Separately, the business owner is missing in action. Read the latest

Gold Coast ex-motocross identity Grant Bink is missing in action as police separately investigate a suspicious fire which destroyed his Varsity Lakes business.

The 28-year-old’s company GB Designs was one of three factories gutted by a fierce blaze

that took hold of the Scottsdale Drive commercial complex on Thursday, June 27.

A crime scene was established at the premises and detectives are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Varsity Lakes business owner Grant Bink who is missing in action following a separate suspicious blaze at GB Designs. Picture: Glenn Hampson/GCB

The business is separately facing claims from several clients that they have been waiting months for orders to be fulfilled, with some also saying they are out of pocket thousands of dollars as their requests for refunds have not been processed.

There is no suggestion there is any link between the blaze and the issues these GB Designs clients are claiming, nor is there any suggestion of wrongdoing by Bink or the business’ clients in relation to the fire.

“He did a great job of my advertising banners on the work car and business cards,” one client told the Bulletin.

“I used them because it came with a good recommendation from another business.

“Everything changed suddenly. Orders were unfilled, what you got wasn’t what you wanted.

“I haven’t heard a peep – dunno if I’ll get my money back.”

In emails obtained by the Bulletin from another client, staff - who are also not accused of wrongdoing - reported that Mr Bink was “uncontactable” since late May.

Then, in mid-June, about a week before the business was engulfed by fire, GB Designs closed its doors “until further notice” according to a message sent out to customers.

“The team is not available and Grant is unreachable,” it says.

“We are not accepting any new jobs. All current jobs are on hold. You may need to make alternative arrangements until Grant returns.”

Online reviews of GB Designs – from what appear to be other disgruntled customers – have surfaced in recent days with claims of poor communication and long waits for orders to be fulfilled.

It’s a similar experience reported by others who have left reviews.

Harry Bink, Grant’s brother, said this week he hadn’t heard from his sibling and didn’t have a contact for him.

Harry has no involvement with GB Designs.

Some of Grant Bink’s friends say they haven’t seen him in, or spoken to him in months and are unsure if he is overseas.

The moment fire engulfed the Scottsdale Drive industrial complex.

According to company records, Grant Bink is the sole director of GB Designs and has a residential address in Robina.

The Bulletin doorknocked the home after calls and emails to GB Designs – and calls and texts to Grant Bink – went unanswered.

According to the homeowner, it has been a rental for three years and they were in the process of moving back into the property.

They had no knowledge of a tenant named Grant Bink and were blindsided to learn he was registered as living at the address.

Detectives investigating the fire at the GB Designs workshop haven’t managed to track down Mr Bink either.

“No one was inside at the time of fire,” a Queensland Police Service spokesman said.

“Inquiries are continuing to locate the owner of the business.”

It’s understood detectives from Burleigh Heads Criminal Investigations Branch have begun reaching out to friends and associates of Mr Bink to take statements as part of their inquiries.

Police are continuing to appeal for CCTV, dashcam footage and witnesses as part of their investigation.

Originally published as Ex-motocross enthusiast and Coast identity Grant Bink goes to ground as police probe factory fire