Grubbies burger chain stores at Redbank Plains and Strathpine damaged in suspected arson attacks
The alleged co-ordinated firebombing of two restaurants has been slammed as a “low act” as the owner speaks out and police ramp up their investigations.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two South East Queensland burger joints separated by a 50km stretch of road have gone up in flames within 10 minutes of each other.
Grubbies Burgers and Hawaiian BBQ stores in Ipswich and Redbank Plains, which are both owned by Ben Niumata, were declared crime scenes on Saturday after fire broke out at the locations.
The Grubbies restaurant in the East Ipswich suburb of Redbank Plains went up in flames at about 1.20am.
Ten minutes later, as firefighters battled that blaze, the chain’s Strathpine restaurant was also allegedly torched.
Both fires are considered by police to be linked.
The Strathpine store was “well alight” as emergency services arrived while members of the public were able to extinguish the Redbank Plains fire.
Grubbies owner Ben Niumata took to social media to address the incident on Saturday morning saying it was a “bad night”.
We’ve had a couple of break-ins,” he said on the Grubbies Instagram page.
“I’m not too sure what we did to deserve this.”
“This is a pretty raw video that is happening right now, I’ve been up all night trying to clean up everything.”
Mr Niumata urged his followers to show their “love and support” and visit the two open locations on Saturday to “show these people they can’t break us”.
“I love you all and I thank you all so much for your support,” he said.
Grubbies owner Ben Niumata told 9 News that he only returned home from work an hour before he was alerted to the fires.
“I’m quite emotional, I got a call at 1am that there was a break in and all the police and fire brigades were here,” he said.
A man who had lived near the store at Strathpine for decades, but didn’t want to be identified, said he was shocked.
“It’s a pretty low act to firebomb two stores,” he said.
“I feel sorry for these people (Lolly Kingdom), they only opened up one week ago and now they’re closed because of what’s happened.”
Any witnesses or people with relevant vision or information regarding either arson are being urged to contact police.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said the Strathpine fire was at the rear of the building and was contained by three crews by 2am.
The Redbank Plains restaurant sustained external damage while the Strathpine store damages were contained to inside the building.
The scene is now being investigated by fire crews.
There was no one inside either restaurant when the fires broke out.
A police spokesperson said on Saturday night investigations are continuing.
Two teens charged after violent home robbery in Brisbane
Two teenage boys, one aged 13, have been charged after allegedly storming a home in Brisbane’s south armed with machetes. A 50-year-old woman was injured.
Read more
Would you convict a homeowner who used lethal force to defend their home?
How would you, as a juror, judge a frightened parent who killed a 13-year-old who had entered their home illegally in the dead of night? New Sunday Mail columnist Madonna King asks. VOTE NOW
Read more