Geraldton Detectives allege Blake Stanley Lansdown set fire to Coorow home with people inside, stole car

An 18-year-old man accused of setting fire to a home in Coorow while people were inside and crashing an allegedly stolen vehicle from another address is facing serious charges. Geraldton detectives arrested and charged Blake Stanley Lansdown after he allegedly visited a Coorow home several times between Saturday, June 10, and Sunday, June 11. It is alleged Mr Lansdown confronted a man he knew who was living at the address before attending the home again about 4am on Sunday, setting the house on fire while people were inside. Detectives said the people inside the home were able to extinguish the fire. It’s alleged the 18-year-old stole a Mitsubishi Triton from a different address and later crashed the car north of Mogumber, near Moora. Detectives arrested Mr Lansdown on Sunday morning and charged him with criminal damage by fire, unlawful act or omission with intent to harm, steal motor vehicle being armed in a way that may cause fear, criminal damage or destruction of property and no authority to drive. He is due to reappear in Perth Magistrates Court on Monday, June 19.