Arson attacks

By Bridget Cook
With the state now in a fire danger period with fire restrictions in place, Casey Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Leading Senior Constable Chris Blazevic said the local police were concerned about the high number of arson attacks taking place.
“Whilst some fires may be triggered by negligent behaviour, for example discarded cigarette butts, it is apparent that deliberately damaging property by arsonists is on the rise,” he said.
“Offenders are targeting houses, stolen cars, school property and parks.”
Since 31 December, 17 fires have been reported to the Casey CIU with most of them being suspicious.
On 12 January, the News reported on the increased arson behaviour over the Christmas break with police and CFA warning residents to be wary of suspicious behaviour in the coming months.
Leading Sen Const Blazevic confirmed that the behaviour had continued.
In the past week, there have been reports of six suspicious arson attacks in the City of Casey.
The first occurred on Wednesday 18 January when a small grassfire was lit in Ronans Retreat Lynbrook.
On 20 January at 11pm, a car was set alight in a reserve in Community Road, Narre Warren South.
Leading Sen Const Blazeviv said cardboard and paper was used to start the fire.
“The car had been reported stolen from a Cranbourne North address a couple of hours earlier,” he said.
A small fire was started on the carpet in the lounge room of a vacant house in Bond Court, Cranbourne West, about 12.20am on 20 January. The offenders gained entry through a broken window.
A passerby spotted and stamped out a small grassfire on the nature strip of Fleetwood Drive Narre Warren at 1.45am on 22 January.
Leading Sen Const Blazevic said police had also received reports of a suspicious fire lit next to a timber fence adjoining three residential properties on 22 January at 4.30am in Ormond Road, Hampton Park.
He said the fence and a garden shed received damage during the fire. A can of lighter fluid was found near the scene.
Gleneagles Secondary College, Endeavour Hills, has reported that one of their shade sails was set alight between 1 and 23 January.
Police charged a 26-year-old Cranbourne man on Sunday with one count of arson against a house, as a result of a domestic dispute.
CFA Southern Metropolitan operations manager Trevor Owen said parents should keep an eye out on their children, and that with the coming dry season, residents needed to ensure they were prepared.
“Some (fires) are related to things like school holidays, where there are more children around getting up to mischief, so adults need to make sure their children aren’t up to that behaviour,” he said.
Mr Owen said we were now in fire danger period, which means there are restrictions on burning off and lighting fires.
“The grassland that might seem a bit green and moist can dry out very quickly, so people need to get planned for the onset of the period and be prepared,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding any of these incidents, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.