CAMBRIDGE CHRONICLE (Massachusetts) 06 October 06 Police: store manager torched pet shop (Erin Smith)
A store manager-turned-arsonist set fire to his exotic pet shop last week and masked the crime by making the blaze look like the work of an animal activist group, police said.
Thanh Trinh, 42, of Charlestown, was in the process of buying Boston Tropical Fish and Reptile when he intentionally set fire to the Cambridge shop with the help of Zachary Azzam, a 17-year-old Cambridge resident and Dennis Nickerson, 21, of Somerville, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office.
Trinh, Azzam and Nickerson were arrested Friday afternoon and arraigned in Cambridge District Court. The three men were charged with willful burning of a building, malicious killing of animals, cruelty to animals, larceny over $250, and larceny from a building.
Trinh pled not guilty and was ordered held without bail, pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Oct. 13.
Nickerson and Azzam also pled not guilty and were ordered held on $1,000 bail.
If Nickerson and Azzam post bail, Cambridge District Court Judge Jonathan Brant also ordered the two to report to probation once a week, have no contact with co-defendants, stay away from the pet shop, abstain from alcohol, drugs and firearms and fire-producing materials and refrain from abusing animals.
Nickerson and Azzam are due back in court on Nov. 6 for a probable cause hearing.
The pet store at 243 Monsignor O’Brien Highway was gutted by several mysterious fires on Sept. 27 at about 9:50 p.m., killing some of the exotic pets inside. “No more exploitation of animals” was spray-painted in black outside the front door.
Police allege that Trinh vandalized the building to make it look appear that the fire was set by an animal activist group.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s office did not give a motive for the crime.
Police: store manager torched pet shop