A man has been charged with arson and refused bail after a Curl Curl coffee van was destroyed by fire.
Emergency services were called to the Curl Curl Beach carpark at about 3.45am on Wednesday, 4 November, after a delivery driver found the Billys coffee van alight. Fire and Rescue NSW put out the fire, but the van was badly damaged.
Police set up a crime scene and began an investigation. Later that day they arrested a 46-year-old Narrabeen man, Andrew George Pegley.
He was taken to Manly Police Station and later charged with intentionally or recklessly damaging property by fire or explosive, and larceny of property valued at $540.
Pegley appeared in Manly Local Court today, 6 November. He did not enter a plea and was refused bail. The matter was adjourned to 25 November, when he will appear by audio-visual link at Downing Centre Local Court.
As Manly Observer reported on Wednesday, Billys has traded from the Curl Curl Beach carpark for almost nine years and is the owner James Malouf’s only source of income. He said the damage was extensive it will take quite some time to get back on his feet.
“All my livelihood is in here, and it is for the staff members,” Mr Malouf said at the time.
The community has rallied to support the local dad with a GoFundMe set up by his friend Jesse Cahalan raising more than $45,000 since our first story appeared, passing its original $40,000 target.
Malouf said the community’s support had been “beyond expectations”.
