He first noticed Anthony Ward working with Mortlake Tele Centre, thought he was a talent and offered him a job.

For three years Mr Van den Eynde trained Mr Ward before his employee got a better offer and started working for the Education Department as a school cluster technician working with Camperdown College.

Mr Van den Eynde has seen it all before. 

He said he’s employed people, they get a better offer and move on. That’s business, he says.

He even had to accept it as fair competition when Mr Ward and another former employee, Tony Scroop, set up Cortec Computers in direct opposition.

What he didn’t expect was for Mr Ward’s Russian mafia connections to torch Tower Computer Aid’s historic premises in an effort to eliminate any competition.

He said the arson attack cost him an enormous amount of money, worry and trouble.

“When I employed Anthony butter wouldn’t have melted in his mouth. It turned out he was a rogue,” he said.

“He was obviously going through financial hardship. There’s never been room for two good-sized computer shops in the town.” 

Police suggest that when Mr Ward and Mr Scroop’s partnership fell apart, Mr Ward was left with substantial debt.

His remedy was to borrow $200,000 from the Russian mafia, money he couldn’t pay back.

Mr Van den Eynde said it appeared that the first step to Mr Ward took to improve his business was to take care of the opposition.

On June 15, 2008, a fire was deliberately lit in the Manifold Street store. The alarm was raised about 4.30am.

Mr Van den Eynde said that by 9am that morning Cortec Computers staff were handing out fliers offering services and had notices around the town.

“They seemed to be very well prepared. It was very surprising how well prepared they were,” he said.

“Since the fire we’ve done it tough. We had to borrow to rebuild the store. That was almost six years ago and looking back it has not been easy.”

Mr Van den Eynde said  he saw better times ahead for Camperdown and his business.

“Camperdown is in a good position with jobs on offer and things looking up. We’ve been here 33 years and I’m happy with our business,” he said.

“But there was nothing in crimes compensation for us. I suppose in desperate times people do desperate things. 

“I’m sure Anthony was just trying to help his business but look what happened.

“I’m sure he didn’t expect to be involved in any of that,” he said, referring to Mr Ward’s own murder and the killing of a Queensland couple.