Mohammad Burma fronts court over tobacco shop arson

A cash hungry arsonist botched an attempt to firebomb a tobacco store in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, barely getting past the door.

The Ford Transit van that Mohammad Burma torched outside Glenroy Cigarettes on Belair Ave after setting fire to the tobacco store. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

An arsonist’s attempt to fill his pockets with extra cash has backfired after he botched the firebombing of a tobacco store in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

Mohammad Burma pleaded guilty in the County Court on Wednesday to three charges of arson and one each of theft and damaging property.

Prosecutor Francesca Holmes said Burma went to the rear of Glenroy Cigarettes about 4.40am on August 17 and set ignited fuel on the ground, causing the fire to spread to the back door.

Defence lawyer Vincent Vuu said Burma had nothing to gain from attacking tobacco stores except to receive payment from “third parties”.

Endeavour man Awoul Mun was also allegedly involved in the arson attack.

He allegedly poured fuel out of a jerry can over the back door and onto the ground before Burma lit the fire.

Mun’s case is before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

The shop owner’s son was inside at the time and heard banging on the back door, with the door catching fire just as he was about to open it.

Mohammad Burma carried out this arson attack in Glenroy for cash. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Burma ran out the front and set fire to a Ford Transit van owned by Glenroy Cigarettes.

The vehicle was completely destroyed but the shop was saved.

Two days later, Burma travelled to the Grab and Go Tobacconist in Wonthaggi with several unidentified persons in a Mazda 3 that was stolen from outside a gym in Clayton on August 8.

Ms Holmes said they reversed the vehicle three times into a Wonthaggi tobacco shop on McBride Ave about 3.25am before driving away.

About half an hour later, police found the Mazda 3 burnt out on a nature strip nearby.

Mr Vuu said since Burma suffered from PTSD and drug abuse disorder any sentence needed to include court-mandated rehabilitative features to assist in turning his life around.

Burma will be sentenced on June 16.