Declan Campbell allegedly set fire to Kyabram Salvation Army store

A rehab facility’s eleventh hour rejection has thrown a bail application into disarray for alleged Kyabram firebug charged over Salvation Army store fire.

A fire at the rear of Kyabram Salvation Army thrift store on May 22 was allegedly intentionally lit.

A rehab facility’s eleventh hour rejection has thrown a bail application into disarray, refusing an alleged Kyabram firebug who torched a Salvation Army store hours after being released on bail.

Declan Campbell, 24, applied for bail at the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court after he allegedly set fire to the Kyabram Salvation Army store, causing about $120,000 worth of damage.

He was on 12 counts of bail at the time and had only been released on police bail four hours earlier.

On Friday the court heard a residential rehab facility he applied to be bailed to rejected him one hour before his court appearance, forcing his legal team to seek an adjournment to assess other options.

“We got confirmation this morning at 10am that they would not accept him,” his lawyer told the court.

“We don’t have a bail plan in place today.”

Kyabram Salvation Army thrift store is temporarily closed after a fire caused significant damage to the rear of the property.

The court heard an alternative option would be to bail him to live with his grandparents who Magistrate Sharon McRae said would have to give evidence at a later bail application.

He will try his luck for bail again on June 13.

Mr Campbell was allegedly captured on CCTV trying to steal a silver necklace from the store about 9.30am on May 22.

Leading Senior Constable Karolyn Formorsa said staff noticed and asked him to pay it before he “aggressively” threw it on the counter and left.

She said it appeared the fire allegedly lit about 11pm was in “retaliation”.

Constable Formorsa said police believed the alleged offending was connected to Mr Campbell’s alleged drug use and that they were concerned Salvation Army staff were at risk, as was the community if he was to be granted bail.

When interviewed by police after being arrested on May 28, Mr Campbell admitted to being at the store in the morning but denied climbing into the rear of the property and lighting the fire.

Mr Campbell has been accused of stealing a phone from Woolworths and a propane torch kit and gas cylinder from Mitre 10 on May 28.

The court also heard on the same day he allegedly attempted to steal a wallet from Kyabram Surf n Skate before being confronted by staff.

Declan Campbell, 24, applied for bail at the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court after he allegedly set fire to the Kyabram Salvation Army store. Picture: Julieanne Strachan

He was also charged with five counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail.

Constable Formorsa said the ultimate goal would be to see Mr Campbell in rehabilitation but that he remained a danger to the community if he was released from custody at this stage.

She said he had multiple previous opportunities to access rehabilitation and support services for drug use but had not engaged.

The court heard Mr Campbell had no criminal history but about 60 outstanding matters before the courts since December including alleged theft, burglary, criminal damage, dealing with proceeds of crime, drug offences and theft of a vehicle.