Arsonist faces prison time, deportation after causing $400K damage to nail salon

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  September 16, 2025 8:25pm EDT
FOX 5 Atlanta

Cang Thanh Luu (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)

The Brief

    • Cang Thanh Luu was sentenced to five years for arson, with three years in prison and two on probation, and faces deportation after release.
    • Luu admitted to intentionally setting fire to Nick’s Nails, causing nearly $400,000 in damages, with multiple points of origin identified.
    • Surveillance footage showed Luu buying gloves and entering the salon with a gas can before the fire alarm sounded.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. - A Gwinnett County man has been sentenced to prison after admitting he set fire to a Woodstock nail salon that caused nearly $400,000 in damages.

What we know:

Cang Thanh Luu, 48, entered a negotiated guilty plea on Aug. 26 to arson in the second degree and two counts of criminal damage to property in the second degree on Tuesday. Superior Court Judge Jennifer L. Davis sentenced him to five years, with three to be served in prison and the rest on probation. Luu, a Vietnamese national, will face deportation once released. He was also ordered to pay $382,589 in restitution.

The backstory:

At the plea hearing, Luu admitted to intentionally setting fire to Nick’s Nails, located at 12910 Highway 92, in January 2021. The fire caused extensive damage to the salon and nearby businesses. Firefighters arriving at the scene detected a strong odor of gasoline, and investigators later identified multiple points of origin, burn patterns, and a discarded glove tied to Luu.

A fire tore through Nick’s Nails, located at 12910 Highway 92, in January 2021.  (The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit)
A fire tore through Nick’s Nails, located at 12910 Highway 92, in January 2021. (The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit)
A fire tore through Nick’s Nails, located at 12910 Highway 92, in January 2021. (The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit)
A fire tore through Nick’s Nails, located at 12910 Highway 92, in January 2021. (The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit)
A fire tore through Nick’s Nails, located at 12910 Highway 92, in January 2021. (The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit)
(The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit)

Surveillance video also linked him to the crime. Footage showed Luu buying non-latex gloves at a nearby gas station before 2 a.m., arriving at the strip mall in a silver Toyota Camry, and entering the salon with a red gas can moments before the fire alarm sounded.

What they're saying:

"This conviction highlights the outstanding work of the Woodstock Police Department and the importance of close collaboration between law enforcement and prosecutors," said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Damion Overstreet, who prosecuted the case.

District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway added: "Arson is an inherently dangerous offense that threatens not only property, but also human lives, including those of firefighters, law enforcement, business owners, and the general public. We are grateful for the response of the Woodstock Fire Department, which ensured that this fire was quickly contained and no injuries occurred."

The Source: The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit provided the details for this article.

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