A 31-year-old man who deliberately set fire to a Rochester comic book store has been handed a three-year prison sentence.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:00 am on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, when a blaze was ignited outside the High Street business. The resulting fire caused extensive damage to the building’s exterior while the perpetrator watched the flames take hold before fleeing the scene.
Kent Police identified the offender as Zygimantas Dranseika through a swift review of CCTV footage. Investigators discovered that Dranseika had been handed a suspended sentence for a similar crime just two months prior to this attack. He was apprehended two days after the fire and subsequently charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.
Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, January 30, 2026, Dranseika, who is of no fixed address, received his sentence after previously pleading guilty in November. The three-year term accounts for both the Rochester arson and the breach of his earlier suspended sentence.
Police Constable Sophie Lawrie, the investigating officer, noted that Dranseika’s “unhealthy obsession” with fire posed a significant risk to the community. She emphasized that while the financial damage was considerable, it was fortunate no one was injured, concluding that Medway is safer now that he is in custody.