Cops: Man Set Fire to Strip Club Before Stealing Candy

A Hicksville man arrested for breaking into a Wantagh smoke shop now faces arson charges for a Bellmore strip club fire, according to Nassau County Police.

Craig Blum, 42, was charged Thursday with second-degree arson and first-degree reckless endangerment.

Police said they believe Blum started a fire in the back of Billy Dean’s Showtime Cafe at 12:40 a.m. Monday.

An employee noticed the fire, which was quickly extinguished by North Bellmore Fire Department responders, cops said.

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The fire damaged the hallway and bathroom of the strip club, police said.

Blum was arrested for a burglary in Wantagh about 35 minutes after the fire was reported, officials said.

Detectives said a dispatcher was working in Island Yellow Taxi at 1:15 a.m. when he saw a man, Blum, break into Burn Smoke Shop on Railroad Avenue. Blum kicked and broke the front door, went inside, and left shortly after with boxes of candy and a glass water pipe, police said.

Blum pleaded not guilty to charges of third-degree burglary and possession of burglar tools, according to Newsday.

Blum’s attorney, Cornell V. Bouse, of Mineola, responded that his client was “an intelligent person” and that he happened to have tools relevant to his job as an oil burner technician, the report says.

Blum will be arraigned on arson charges on Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Photo: NCPD

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