Police detectives from the Arson and Explosive Squad, Echo Taskforce and VIPER Taskforce will today announce at a press conference an operation targeting disputing organised crime syndicates believed to be linked to a recent series of arson attacks across Melbourne.
The three squads will link up to investigate at least 11 incidents dating back to 24 June believed to be linked to ongoing disputes between two criminal groups with links to Middle Eastern Organised Crime entities.
Chief Commission Shane Patton, speaking to Virginia Trilio on ABC Melbourne Mornings after 9am told Virginia that “more would be revealed during the press conference.”
Those incidents include:
• Two vehicles set alight in the driveway of a residential property on Anderson Road, Fawkner about 5.20am on June 24;
• An incident just after 5.35am on June 25 where a vehicle pulled up outside a house on Greenvale Drive, Greenvale and one of the occupants of the car poured an accelerant over two cars in the driveway and attempted to set them on fire;
• An arson attack on a prestige vehicle business on Park Road, Oakleigh on June 26 that caused over $1M in damage. It’s believed a man arrived at the business just before 3am in a grey Audi A4 wagon and set the business on fire before leaving the scene;
• An incident where offenders attempted to set a house with five people inside alight on Petros Street in Fraser Rise at about 1.20am on June 27. When an associate attempted to assist, his property on Hawksbury Green in Caroline Springs was set on fire. Both properties sustained significant damage;
• A car parked at Pipemakers Park on Van Ness Avenue in Maribyrnong had its windows smashed and was set alight at about 7.40pm on June 27;
• An incident on June 29 where a Collingwood business on Smith Street was set on fire and had its windows smashed. Police believe at least three people used hammers to break the front glass of the store about 3am that morning, before setting the property alight and fleeing in a silver SUV;
• A fire at a business address on Cooke Street in Port Melbourne on July 7 where police believe the property was broken into just before 2.50am and accelerant was poured throughout offices before being set alight;
• An incident on the Deer Park Bypass in Ravenhall about 11am on July 7. Police have been told a collision occurred involving two vehicles, and two men from the cars were then involved in an altercation before driving off; and
• Two further fires at the property on Hawksbury Green in Caroline Springs on the nights of 9 and 10 July, where the occupants were not present due to previous fire damage.
On the majority of occasions, no one was present at the property when it was set on fire however almost all of the fires caused significant damage.
Luckily, no one was physically injured during the fires.
Police are today releasing CCTV from the business fire in Collingwood on June 29 which shows a man getting out of the silver SUV and setting the property alight.
The footage also shows two men breaking the glass shopfront before pouring accelerant all through the business.
One of the men also accidentally sets fire to himself before getting back in the car and leaving the scene.
Investigators are hoping someone recognises these men and can provide information about his identity.
Police will also release CCTV of a verbal altercation that took place outside the store on June 22, which detectives believe may be linked to the ongoing disputes.
Two men are seen arguing with an unknown group, and police are keen to identify these two men.
Detectives are still working to determine the motive for the overall ongoing dispute and are speaking further to the residents and business owners of those addresses, as well as any associates, in order to try and understand the reason for the attacks.
Police are looking at whether any other incidents are linked to this series, however, at this time they do not believe a number of recent fires at tobacco stores are connected.
Investigators from the Arson and Explosives Squad, Echo Taskforce and VIPER Taskforce will also work closely with local police including the North West Metro Region and Eastern Region Crime Squads, with a number of reassurance patrols underway in areas linked to the fires.
Police are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed any of these incidents or has further information about them and the parties involved.
More to come
Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
